The Bermuda Government has launched a hard-hitting road safety campaign after accidents jumped by 300 over the last year.

The media blitz features images of injured children and corpses to shock the public into taking notice.

Road Safety Officer Roxanne Christopher said people had become too comfortable with the old messages and they needed their attention to be grabbed.

The images include a baby in a neck brace following road accident.

She said people were still ignoring child seat laws. ?Children can be catapulted in vehicles,? she said. ?It doesn?t even have to be a multiple vehicle collision, it can be a single vehicle collision.?

Transport Minister Ewart Brown said: ?We expect some people might find them distasteful.?

But he said nothing could be as distasteful as the reality of children and adults being maimed or killed in road accidents.

?Over the course of the past year, we have seen some frightening displays of conduct from the motoring public,? Dr. Brown said.

?We have seen private cars involved in Police chases, collisions which have resulted in vehicle pile-ups, road rage and a blatant disregard for the rules of our roads.

?Yet, what is most disturbing, is some of the most severe traffic incidents on our roads have resulted in very serious injuries and even more tragic ? death.?

He said despite a road blitz by Police, Bermuda?s road traffic statistics were still a cause for grave concern.

As of October, 2004, there have been 2,640 collisions this year, which have resulted in more than 1,000 injuries and six fatalities.

The accident statistics are up by nearly 300 incidents since October of last year.

?The fact is, over the years, our driving attitudes have changed and careless driving is contributing to more and more collisions,? said Dr. Brown

?I am pleased to introduce our new road safety campaign, which over the next few months is intended to raise awareness of the public?s unsafe driving habits.

?The message of the campaign is clear and direct ? more and more collisions on our roads are a direct result of careless driving. Slow down Bermuda!?

The campaign encourages drivers to improve their habits, while at the same time reinforcing the consequences of bad driving, said Dr. Brown.

He said the hard-hitting messages are designed to have maximum impact that will result in positive changes.

?The messages focus on drinking and driving, seatbelts, helmet safety and common courtesy, and do not discriminate in their scope,? Dr. Brown said.

?They target all age groups, all genders and all ethnicities.?

He also urged motorists not to drink and drive. ?Either have a designated driver on hand or take a taxi,? he said.

?We want everyone to have the safest and happiest holiday season and not have it marred by the tragedy of a serious traffic accident.?

Over the Christmas period, designated drivers can get free soft drinks if they are wearing a special brightly-coloured necklace which replaces the badge used in the past.