Nearly 2,000 accidents took place in Gloucestershire last year

The Great Gloucestershire Debate on transport is focusing on speeding and road safety issues to find out how to change driver behaviour.

It has the support of families whose loved ones were among those killed or injured in nearly 2,000 county accidents between 2003 and 2004.

The online and postal debate questions drivers on their speeding habits.

Gloucestershire County Council's Road Safety team leader Garry Handley said: "It is an enormous tragedy that each day in Britain ten people lose their lives on the roads. That's ten families absolutely torn apart.

I want people to know this is families and individuals it happens to. We are real people, not just statistics. Lisa Courtdown

"If we can educate and raise awareness we can prevent families having a loved one taken from them in a sudden and violent way."

Lisa Courtdown's mother was killed in a head-on collision when a car swerved into her side of the road. The driver was convicted of dangerous driving and jailed for nine months.

Ms Courtdown said: "I want people to know this is families and individuals it happens to. We are real people, not just statistics."

The Great Gloucestershire Debate was launched by the Gloucestershire Strategic Partnership in June to seek out the public's views on various county issues.

To support the road safety element of the campaign, a portable 'Big Brother' booth has been set up in shopping centres for people to give a video recording of their concerns.