A ROAD safety campaign has been launched in Somerset as figures show there were 21 fatal crashes involving motorcycles on the county's roads in the past five years.

There were also 127 serious collision over the same period, with riders in the 40 to 59 age group most at risk.

And most of the incidents occur on rural A roads with speed limits in excess of 40mph.

Somerset County Council's road safety team will be putting up a selection of six temporary signs highlighting potential dangers along key routes as part of the 'Shiny Side Up' initiative to cut the high casualty rate.

Shiny Side Up is a popular motorcyclist saying suggesting the rubber should stay firmly on the road.

A spokesperson said: "The majority of fatal rider crashes occur on bends on rural roads or involve another vehicle at junctions – so the signs will be key messages on ‘bends dead ahead’ on routes where a number of crashes have occurred.

"There are also signs to encourage the rider to think ‘Safe to Go’ when considering an overtake of slower vehicles, particularly near junctions and where there is a danger of vehicles turning across your path.

"One big concern for motorcyclists is that drivers don’t see them.

"Two of the new signs warn drivers to either check their mirrors for the presence of bikes before turning or to ‘Think Bike’.

"Wherever you see our signs, you should know that the route you are riding can be challenging. Use your judgement to help you avoid becoming a statistic."