The Telegraph and Argus today throws its weight behind a campaign to cut the number of deaths on Bradford's roads.

Readers are being urged to sign up as slower and safer drivers in the New Year with the help of our special pledge form.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents revealed that cutting speeds by just one mph would result in a five per cent reduction in traffic accidents.

In partnership with the T&A, it has invited readers to make a Millennium pledge to slow down from January 1. One reader returning the slip will win a free assessment of their driving skills with an advanced instructor.

Last year there were 22 deaths on Bradford's roads with another 230 left seriously injured. The national fatality figure stood at 3,400.

According to West Yorkshire Police, around nine per cent of the county's accidents were caused by motorists driving too fast. The number of crashes has continued to rise over recent years and jumped from 13,496 in 1997 to 14,503 in 1998.

RoSPA spokesman Roger Vincent said even a slight reduction in speeds would significantly cut these figures.

He said: "Every death on the roads is one too many and most of these can be prevented.

"We know that traffic calming and speed cameras work at reducing accidents. Obviously these cannot be installed everywhere and so it is everyone's responsibility to take their foot off the gas in the New Year.''

By driving at 35 mph, people are twice as likely to kill someone as at 30 mph, added Mr Vincent.

He revealed that, if hit at 40 mph, nine out of ten pedestrians are killed. At 30 mph, this figure drops to five out of ten and, at 20 mph, it falls to one in ten.

"The standard of driving in this country is not good enough," said Mr Vincent, who added that many drivers - particular younger males - believed it was 'macho' to speed.

One motorist signing our pledge will win an expert driver assessment. He or she will be given advice on how to better understand their vehicle, on hazard awareness, concentration and observation and the principles of defensive driving.

One reader returning the form, and answering the question correctly, will be selected for the free half-day course.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.