A ROAD safety campaign that has helped reduce deaths on the county's roads has been held up as a beacon for other local authorities.

The Audit Commission said the 95 Alive initiative was an example of effective road safety partnership united by a vision.

The campaign was launched in 2004 by the York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership.

Its aim is to save 95 people by 2010 who would have otherwise died in road crashes.

Latest figures from North Yorkshire Police show that the number of people killed on the county's roads fell from 85 in 2005 to 68 last year.

The 95 Alive scheme was praised in Changing Lanes, a road safety report published by the Audit Commission this week.

County councillor Peter Sowray said: "It is very pleasing that the hard work of all the partners in the York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership has been recognised.

"One life lost on our roads is one life too many. That is why it is so encouraging to see the partnership going from strength to strength, playing a key role in our drive to reduce road casualties further across our region."

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "We are delighted that the 95 Alive campaign has been recognised as a model of best practice.

"It also shows what effective partnership work can achieve."

The campaign includes more traffic-calming measures, better enforcement and more education of motorists to be aware of other road users.

The Changing Lanes report concluded that road deaths could be reduced through education and enforcement.

Steve Bundred, the chief executive of the Audit Commission, said: "Just like drinking and driving, using a mobile phone at the wheel or speeding near schools should be socially unacceptable.

"It is clear that many accidents are avoidable.

"Councils have shown that as well as targeting accident blackspots with safety cameras and better engineering, it is also possible to change the attitude and behaviour of road users that cause accidents."