THE number of people in the North-East killed in road accidents has risen, the latest Government figures have revealed.

Last year, 126 people died on the region's roads, compared with 102 fatalities the previous year, according to provisional figures released by the Department of Transport yesterday.

There has also been an increase in the number of people killed or seriously injured rising to 1,195 last year, compared with 1,145 two years ago.

Nationally, statistics of people killed in drink-driving accidents have risen by nearly six per cent and the total casualties rose seven per cent to more than 20,000, the highest level since 1990.

Road Safety Minister David Jamieson said he was very concerned about the increased death figure.

In County Durham, 295 people were killed or seriously injured last year including 22 children and 35 adults who were all pedestrians. The majority of casualties were car-users.

North Yorkshire had the highest figure in the region with 959 killed or seriously injured on the roads, 107 of those were pedestrians. The area also had the highest number of motorcyclists who died in the region, with 212 lives lost.

Tyne and Wear was the second worst blackspot with 446 road users killed or seriously hurt. Sixty children and 117 adults were pedestrians and 141 were car-users.

A total of 253 road-users were killed or seriously injured in Cleveland last year with Stockton claiming 82 victims, followed by 74 in Middlesbrough, 55 in Redcar and Cleveland and 42 in Hartlepool.

Road safety charities said the number of drink-drive fatalities could be reduced by 50 a year.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and Brake are calling for the drink-drive limit to be lowered from 80mg to 50mg.

Kevin Clinton, of RoSPA, said: "Far too many people still get behind the wheel after they have been drinking. We need to send a clear message to motorists that drinking and driving is socially unacceptable and will not be tolerated."