The government should make it compulsory for all learner drivers to answer at least one motorcycle-related question during their theory test.

That is the view of a motorcycle insurance company, which has launched an official online petition.

In an attempt to improve road safety for bikers, Bennetts Insurance, which operates several pro-motorbike events throughout the year, has named the petition ˜Motorcyclists Matter".

Such a change in the test would, it is hoped, encourage inexperienced drivers to take a greater interest in the issues surrounding motorcycle safety and increase awareness of them on the road.

The vulnerability of bikers on the road is becoming ever more apparent, with motorcycles accounting for just 1% of road traffic but their riders making up 20% of road accident fatalities.

The casualty rate is even higher, with bikers 61 times more likely to be injured on the road than other motorists.

Hannah Squirrell, Director of Marketing at Bennetts said, "With questions currently selected at random, there is no guarantee that a question relating to the awareness of motorcyclists will arise in the current driving theory test format, so our ˜Motorcyclists Matter" campaign is set to challenge that.

"With the casualty rate of motorcyclists currently a staggering 61 times greater than that of motorists, at Bennetts we believe road users need educating on the importance of other vulnerable road users to help try to reduce the number of causalities in 2012.

"The petition has been approved by the government and we are aiming to get at least 100,000 signatures in order to have this raised in the House of Commons.

"Bikers are an important group of road users and it's essential they are recognised within the driving theory test where we would hope for a minimum of one guaranteed question relating to motorcycles, if not a whole section."