YOUNGSTERS at an Isle of Wight school spelt out a life-saving message as part of a campaign to get motorists to slow down on the south's roads.

A total of 336 pupils from Lake Middle School spelled out the word THINK in their playground - the same number of people killed or seriously injured on the Island's roads in the past three years.

The photocall signalled the launch of five new mobile speed camera routes at accident blackspots across the Isle of Wight.

These will be in addition to the existing five routes, and three fixed site speed cameras will be added in April.

Leaflets are being delivered along each route explaining the speed limits and casualty record.

Figures show 336 people were killed or seriously injured on Isle of Wight roads from 1999 to 2001. A further 1,453 suffered slight injuries.

Dr Marion Sinclair, manager of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Safety Camera Partnership, said: "Before the drink-drive campaign of the 1970s, many people thought drink-driving was acceptable behaviour.

"Now attitudes have changed, and road accidents have fallen as a result - but there are still far too many people being injured unnecessarily on our roads.

"The biggest culprit now is excessive speed. Around one third of the accidents that have occurred on the Isle of Wight over the past three years could have been avoided if drivers had kept to the speed limits."

Ernie Fox, the Isle of Wight Council's executive spokesman for transport, added: "Reducing average speeds on our roads

will also free up valuable resources of time and money for the emergency services that can be reinvested in making our

communities better places in which to live."

New mobile camera routes are at Blackwater Road, Newport; Culver Parade, Sandown; Adelaide Grove, East Cowes; Binstead Hill, Binstead, and High Street/Lushington Hill, Wootton.

Existing mobile camera routes are located at Staplers Road/Long Lane, Newport; High Street, Brading; Fairlee Road, Newport; York Avenue, East Cowes, and the A3056 at Apse Heath.

Fixed camera sites which become operational in April are at Horsebridge Hill, Newport; St Johns Hill, Ryde, and Newport Road, Lake.