A HARD-hitting new road safety advert sends the wrong message, according to a drivers' group.

The Association of British Drivers believes the new Think road safety television ad will do little to improve safety. It shows a driver hitting a child as he drives through a built-up area at 35 mph.

Brian Gregory, the ABD's chairman said: "This advert encourages people to think they are safe because they drive at 30 mph.

"Nothing could be further from the truth. There are many times when 30mph is far too fast for urban conditions and others when it is safe to go faster.

"We need to show drivers how to read the road ahead and make judgements correctly, rather than telling them a fixed speed is safe. Paying attention to the road is far more important than a 5mph difference in speed.

"Until the so-called road safety campaigners understand and promote the enormous difference between exceeding an arbitrary limit and driving too fast for the conditions, deaths on the roads will not decrease. Only the latter is dangerous, yet only the former is being targeted.

"The ABD believes the campaign needs to have a broader emphasis and drivers need to be told how important it is to look well ahead and anticipate -- to see the child before he runs out and to be ready to avoid him should he do so."

The group also stresses the need for drivers to use observation links - if a ball bounces into the road, wait for a child to run out after it; if one child runs across the road, expect his friend to follow him.

Mr Gregory said: "Too many people turn their brains off when they turn their engines on. Government safety campaigns should switch them on again with useful and relevant advice.

"Drivers need to be more aware of what is going on

around them." 'Too many people turn their brains off when they turn their engines on'