Drivers in Northern Ireland have been urged to take more responsibility on the roads to halt the growing number of fatal traffic accidents.

Fifteen people have died on the roads since the start of 2003.

Environment minister Angela Smith said she was frustrated at the "unacceptable" level of road carnage.

Main road fatality causes

Speeding Careless and dangerous driving through inattention No seat belt Drink driving

She said the government had taken road safety measures, but there was only so much it could do.

"Ninety five per cent of serious collisions and deaths are down to driver error, passenger error, pedestrians stepping out in front of vehicles.

"It is people who need to change. People need to wise up and shape up and be more careful on the road."

Women's Coalition assembly member Jane Morrice accused the minister of not doing enough to prevent road deaths.

"It's not enough for the minister to say drivers must wise up. Yes, they must but those responsible for refusing to recognise that our roads are dangerous must wise up too.

"A lot has been done trying to educate drivers but it obviously isn't working.

"We need much more resources going into road engineering to keep speeds down and greater enforcement to force drivers to slow down," she said.

People need to wise up and shape up and be more careful on the road Angela Smith, Environment minister

Chief Inspector Mark Gilmore of the police traffic branch identified the four main factors in road fatalities as "speeding, careless and dangerous driving through inattention, failing to wear a seat belt and drink driving".

"People need to slow down, wise up and change their attitude. If we can change attitudes and change the culture we will reduce road deaths and injuries."

Mr Gilmore said he was "horrified" by a 10% increase in drink driving over Christmas and New Year.

He said that drink driving was generally culturally unacceptable in Northern Ireland but some still believed it was acceptable.

Nora Ferguson of the Road Trauma Support Centre has first-hand experience of losing a loved one on the roads.

Her husband was killed in a road accident 10 years ago, when a van driver attempting to overtake several cars crashed into him head on.

She is dismayed at the increasing number of road deaths.

"It is very frustrating to put so much work in and find that the toll is rising. When someone dies on the road, it's a family which is destroyed," she said.

"I'm quite horrified when I see how many families drive along without children strapped in.

"People would strap a box of china or crystal in to the back seat but not their children. Which is more precious?"