One of the coaches which crashed in Austria

"Parents have to realise this when they allow their children to go on ski trips and schools have to make risk assessments of all the activities they are undertaking.

"It is also essential that coaches are fitted with seatbelts and that children wear them at all times."

The latest accident involved 40 pupils and seven staff from Rodborough Secondary School in Milford, Surrey, returning from Innsbruck in Austria.

The vehicle left the autoroute four near Metz and overturned. Conditions are said to have been good.

A BBC correspondent in France said there was no indication what caused the accident, or whether other vehicles were involved, but French radio said that the driver had probably fallen asleep at the wheel.

'Distressing incident'

A hospital spokesman in Metz said 10 people were hurt. Three, including the driver, were said to be serious, possibly with broken bones, but none was in any danger.

Rodborough school headmaster John Latham said: "Clearly this was a distressing incident for all concerned but the school party could not have been in better hands, led as they were by a very experienced teacher, Nigel Edwards."

On Friday night, six pupils were injured in two separate accidents in treacherous weather conditions on the same stretch of the Tauern motorway near St Johann, near Salzburg.

Students from the Wirral smile after their lucky escape

One involved pupils from Plessington Catholic High Technology College in Bebington, on the Wirral.

Nine children and one teacher from Plessington were taken to hospital after the crash, which happened as the group returned from a skiing trip in Ravscletto, Italy.

Chairman of the school governors Norman Kelly said: "This is every parent's and school's nightmare and we are thankful that none of those involved has life-threatening injuries."

'Reputable company'

The other accident involved youngsters from Orleans Park Secondary School in Twickenham, Middlesex.

Five pupils and one member of staff were taken to hospital and three pupils were kept in overnight.

Two were discharged on Saturday and rejoined the party, which travelled overnight to the UK from Calais.

The driver of the coach is an experienced driver, used by PGL for a number of years

Orleans school statement

A decision was being made about the most comfortable way for the third pupil, a boy who suffered a broken pelvis, to travel home.

A statement from Orleans Park said: "The leader is an experienced deputy headteacher who has led a number of ski trips in the past.

"The trip was organised through PGL, a well-established and reputable school tour company.

"The driver of the coach is an experienced driver, used by PGL for a number of years."

British Embassy spokesman Mark Etherton said there had been 15 crashes in the Salzburg area on Friday after appalling weather conditions left the roads "like a mirror".