A NEW safety campaign has been launched in Gloucestershire to urge drivers and bikers to take extra care on rural roads.

Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership, who launched the campaign, will run it until the end of September, remind drivers to 'think bike – look twice and drivers think before turning’ These slogans on signs have been placed around the county, on the A38, A435, A4136, B4425 and B4215.

Of the people killed or seriously injured between 2012-2014 on the county’s roads, 22 per cent were riding motorcycles.

The aim of the campaign is to reduce the number of riders injured by making riders and drivers more aware of each other and potential hazards on rural roads.

Councillor Will Windsor-Clive, cabinet member for fire, planning and infrastructure, said: “The vast majority of motorcyclists ride responsibly and understand the potential for risk in the more rural parts of our county.

"It helps to remind people that they should not only think of their own safety but the safety of other road users when driving in the countryside. The signs will act as a prompt to everyone to ensure they take care on Gloucestershire’s rural roads."

Chris Harrison, motorcycle safety co-ordinator for the RSP, said: "This campaign has been very successful in the past we are keen to repeat it in 2015.

"As the motorcycling season gets fully underway, we want to remind both riders and drivers of their joint responsibility to keep each other safe. We hope signing these routes acts as a clear reminder to all road users to look out for each other on all of the counties roads."