DRIVERS are being urged to take extra care on the roads following a spate of crashes.

So far this month the East of England Ambulance Service has been called to 392 accidents in Essex alone.

The trust has issued a series of warnings to people hitting the road this summer.

They include leaving appropriate distance between you and the car ahead, learning an unfamiliar route in advance to avoid relying on a sat nav and taking breaks on long drives.

They are also reminding people the dangers of distractions, including eating at the wheel, playing loud music and using mobile phones.

On Monday, the first day of the summer holidays, the East of England Ambulance service attended 61 999 calls for crashes alone, compared to 49 on the same day last year.