Police have warned an increasing number of town centre accidents are being caused by pedestrians listening to iPods and talking on mobile phones.

New figures show almost 100 pedestrians were killed or injured in collisions with motorists on two streets in central Brighton last year.

Officers said two people were killed and ten seriously injured in North Street and Castle Square.

Inspector Phil Clarke, of Sussex Police, said this included 60 incidents involving buses. He put the blame largely on people being distracted by talking on the phone or listening to digital music players.

Mr Clarke said: "We have become victims of our own technology. People are becoming distracted by things such as phones and iPods.

"It is making pedestrians oblivious to what is going on around them. People are stepping into the road before they look to see what is coming.

"They should be doing it the other way around. That one step can be a step too far in many cases."

The accidents also have an impact on the city centre economy.

He said: "It is our time that goes into the investigation and clear-up of these incidents. If we have to close a street to investigate a collision, a lot of businesses are going to be affected."

Sussex Police have joined forces with Brighton and Hove City Council to launch the Stop, Look, Live campaign, which aims to reduce accidents by 30 per cent.

Roger French, managing director of the Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company, said the number of people obliviously stepping into the road was on the increase and it was something bus drivers were continually aware of.

He added: "This campaign is a good thing because people are becoming more distracted these days.

"Our drivers have had to become more alert."

Stop, Look, Live is being launched to coincide with the start of road safety works at the junction between St James's Street, Castle Square and East Street.

This will include traffic lights, widened footpaths and new bus lanes.

The improvements are the first phase of a Government-funded £1.5 million scheme from the bottom of St James's Street up to Churchill Square and are expected to be completed by the end of March. The second phase will begin in the summer and end in spring 2009.

Councillor Geoffrey Theobald warned the council and police could only do so much to stop the number of collisions.

He said: "Pedestrians can play their part by not talking on mobile phones and listening to music."

andy.robbins@theargus.co.uk