A HARD-hitting campaign to improve driver behaviour is to tour Worcestershire in response to rocketing numbers of fatal road accidents.

The county council's road safety team has joined forces with West Mercia police and the Worcestershire Institute of Advanced Motoring to encourage people to drive more safely.

The team's message focuses on its slogan, Don't be a Dummy, and will feature graphic video footage and a crash test dummy.

The dangers of drinking and driving and tiredness on long journeys will be shown.

It also recommends an eye test every two years.

"We want to promote the message that some aspects of driver behaviour start before you even get in the car," said county road safety officer Roger Woodward.

He said road safety figures up until the end of August showed 21 motorists had been killed on the road, and hundreds more injured.

The total for the whole of 1999 was 17 deaths.

"These are shocking figures," he said. "It's a worrying situation.

"By far the biggest single cause of these deaths is driver error. We need to tackle the drivers."

Margaret Hill, mother of motorcyclist Glenn Hill, who was killed in 1997 at the junction of Hylton and Henwick Roads in Worcester, welcomed the scheme, but said it did not go far enough.

"It's the older people who think they're good drivers who need to be educated," she said.

"They should be tested after so many years on the road and, if they aren't up to standard, they should have to take a driving test again.

"The youngsters need to be slowed down."

Inspector Tony Fisher, of West Mercia police's traffic and operations department, blamed driver ignorance.

"By raising the standard of driving through additional training and becoming more aware of their own behaviour on the roads, motorists can reduce their own risk of being involved in a collision and make a significant contribution to making the roads of West Mercia safer for everyone," he added.

The campaign is due to start in Angel Place at 10am tomorrow.

It will then move to Exchange Street in Kidderminster on Wednesday, September 13, and Thursday, September 14, before setting up at Tesco in Redditch the following day.

Evesham's Market Square will play host on Monday and Tuesday, September 18 and 19.

The exhibition will move to Asda in Bromsgrove on Wednesday and Thursday, September 20 and 21, before moving to Safeway in Malvern on Friday, September 22.