ROAD deaths in Oxfordshire have plummeted to their lowest level since records began, it emerged last night.

Police warned motorists to slow down and belt up or face the prospect of more loved ones being needlessly killed on the county’s roads – especially in the icy weather.

But figures show the number of people killed in Oxfordshire dropped from 42 to 30 in 2009 the fewest since records began 25 years ago.

Police and fire services have hailed the cut in road deaths which reveal 63 fewer people were killed than in 1974. They pointed to driver education programmes for making people more aware.

However, Inspector Paul Winks, head of roads policing in Oxfordshire, still fears more people could lose their lives unless more drivers cut their speeds, wear seatbelts and stop using mobile phones.

In the seven months from April to October police in the county caught 1,986 motorists speeding, 1,305 drivers talking on a mobile phone and 2,440 motorists not wearing a seatbelt.

Insp Winks said: “I am pleased the number of fatalities is going down, but these are still 30 needless deaths.

“The one trend that is consistent is that all road deaths are avoidable and there’s usually some element of human error in every one of them.

“One of the most heart-breaking things for us is to knock on a door and give people news that destroys their life.

“We have been doing massive enforcement on seatbelts this year and we are issuing thousands of tickets to people not wearing them.

“For some reason the message still isn’t getting through, but other safety mechanisms in a car like air bags are pointless without the seatbelt.

“The challenge for the police and local authorities is to get the message out about the danger of drink driving, not wearing a seatbelt and talking on a phone.”

Five people were killed on the county’s roads in December, including North Oxford teacher Ellie Bongers, who died after a car crash on the A4260 at Tackley on December 30.

Meanwhile, the number of people killed on Thames Valley’s roads last year was also the lowest since records began falling from 94 to 81.

Of the deaths in Oxfordshire three cyclists, three pedestrians, two van drivers and eight motorcyclists died.

The other 17 deaths were car drivers or passengers.

Oxfordshire firefighters rescued 189 people from motor vehicles between January to November this year and also lost one of their own when Witney retained firefighter Simon Mackrory died after a motorcycle crash in May.

Dave Etheridge, deputy chief fire officer for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue, said: “It’s pleasing that these figures are lower than previous years and that in terms of the overall trend, road deaths within the county are going down.

“However, we are not complacent, we will ensure that these successful figures re-energise us to keep delivering road safety messages.

“Education is the way forward to stop road deaths and to make a safer society.”

Council spokesman Owen Morton said: “The total reflects a long-term decline in the number of road deaths due to a wide range of factors, including driver education, training and publicity, road safety engineering, enforcement, and improvements in vehicle design.”