A SURVEY commissioned by Vauxhall shows that parents rate the risks of the road for children far below those of being abducted by a stranger - when in reality it's the mundane activity of using the road that poses a greater threat to their lives, according to government statistics.

The survey reveals that 55 per cent of parents put talking to strangers to the top of their worry-list for kids, compared to half that number 28% who said road safety was their greatest concern.

Coinciding with the arrival of dark winter nights when children may be walking back from school in the dusk or dark, the survey also reveals that

63 per cent of parents questioned said the colours grey or black were the hardest to spot when driving, yet almost half don't put their children in brighter clothing when venturing out on the road.

95 per cent of parents get angry when they see other drivers speeding in built-up areas, yet a sheepish 42 per cent also admitted to sometimes driving too fast themselves when on the school run.

55 per cent of parents think children don't know enough about road safety issues.

62 per cent of kids questioned regularly play out on the street.

Only 39 per cent of parents quote the 'Stop, Look, Listen' phrase of government safety campaigns wen asked which are the three most important things about crossing the road.

Only 33 per cent of children said that stopping at the side of the road was the most important thing when crossing the road. 33 per cent said looking was the most important and only 3 per cent said listening for traffic.

Vauxhall are hoping that the results of this survey will encourage parents and children to take a few simple measures, like ensuring brightly coloured outdoor clothing is worn during the dark winter month, in an attempt to significantly decrease the number of tragic accidents involving youngsters.

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