THE number of children injured in road accidents in one area of Scotland has fallen to a record low after the introduction of 20mph zones and educational initiatives.

A total of 50 youngsters suffered injuries after crashes in Fife in 2013, according to figures being submitted to the council's Safer Communities Committee.

The overall number of accidents fell from 448 in 2012 to 421 last year but 550 people were still injured, including 85 seriously. A total of 11 people died as a result of crashes on streets around the region.

Dr Bob McLellan, Head of Transportation and Environmental Services, said the figures "reflect the hard work that is being done by all of the Community Safety partners to reduce the number of casualties on the roads of Fife".

The Scottish Government has set targets for local authorities to reduce the number of casualties from road accidents and the figures show some areas within Fife are already meeting the goal set for 2020.

Councillor Kenny Selbie, chair of the Safer Communities Committee, added: "There is a tremendous focus being placed on road safety by adopting a multi-agency approach working in close partnership on a number of parallel road safety initiatives to ensure the roads in Fife are as safe as possible for all users.

"However, even with significant progress being made in reducing crashes and casualties on our road network, there is no room for complacency, and we will continue to seek to reduce casualty rates still further."