With gas prices topping $4 per gallon, more and more Texans are trading their gas-guzzling SUVs and pickup trucks for more fuel-efficient motorcycles to save at the pump.

More motorcycles on the road means more motorcyclists may crash and ultimately die on Texas roadways. That's why the Texas Department of Transportation is launching a motorcycle safety campaign encouraging drivers to take extra caution watching for motorcyclists on roadways.

Because they have less physical protection than passenger vehicle occupants, riders are particularly vulnerable in a crash.

Federal officials report that per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are about 35 times more likely to die in a crash than passenger vehicle occupants.

"Registered motorcycles are at an all-time high in Texas," said Carlos Lopez, TxDOT's traffic operations director.

"We're reminding drivers to be on the lookout for the nearly 400,000 motorcyclists on Texas roadways, especially at intersections where many crashes happen."

A public education initiative is encouraging drivers to look twice for motorcyclists. The initiative will run for two weeks, co-sponsored by the Texas Motorcycle Roadriders Association, which educates riders and promotes motorcycle safety in Texas.

TxDOT and the Texas Motorcycle Roadriders Association offer the following safety tips for sharing the road with motorcyclists:

-- Look twice for motorcyclists -- at intersections, entering highways and whenever turning or changing lanes.

The small size of motorcycles often makes them hard to see, and motorcyclists can get lost in blind spots.

-- Always maintain a safe following distance. Motorcycles can stop more quickly than passenger vehicles.

-- When passing a motorcyclist, move to the other lane and allow a full lane for the motorcycle. After doing so, avoid re-entering the lane too quickly.

In 2006, 346 motorcyclists were killed on Texas roads, which is nearly 10 percent of all fatalities.