Dozens of motorcyclists' lives could be saved every year if air bag jackets were made compulsory, accident and emergency doctors have said.
The jackets are the equivalent of car air bags and inflate if the rider is thrown off during a crash. In one version, the jacket is attached to the bike by a lead which detaches when the rider has come off suddenly.
The DfT said it had no plans for a new law but said it welcomed anything to improve safety.
Andy Parfitt, an A&E doctor at St Thomas' Hospital in London and a keen biker, said: "I think dozens of lives could be saved if these jackets were made compulsory. There's no question that they protect a motorcyclists' vital organs, neck and spine over and above the level that a normal jacket would do.
"A majority of deaths in motorcycle accidents are due to injuries to these vital organs that should be protected by these jackets."
