TRANSPORT for London (TfL) has launched a spring campaign to reduce the number of motorcyclists killed or injured in the capital.

Motorcycle safety adverts can be seen on ITV, C4 and Five, and heard on radio stations throughout London.

The TV ads remind drivers to ‘give motorcyclists a second thought’, highlight an optical effect that psychologists believe could put motorcyclists at risk.

In tests, which used footage of vans, cars and motorcycles approaching at identical speeds, psychologists found that participants regularly estimated that motorcycles would take longer to reach them than larger vehicles.

With the growing number of motorcycles on London's roads, TfL is asking drivers to ensure they take that all-important second look before performing any manoeuvre around motorcycles.

Chris Lines, Head of the London Road Safety Unit at TfL, said: ‘Motorcyclists are amongst the most vulnerable of London’s road users.

“In 2007, there were 4,856 collisions in Greater London involving powered two-wheelers. 944 of these collisions resulted in a death or serious injury.”