Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, is seeking government approval to place mirrors at traffic lights to prevent collisions by revealing cyclists and pedestrians hidden in lorries' blind spots.

Transport for London confirmed it is in talks with the Department for Transport to get the go ahead for the so-called "Trixi" mirrors in light of a series of accidents involving lorries turning left at junctions.

Johnson, who has described himself as "militant" in his desire to promote cycling in the capital, wants to improve cycle safety because of concerns that his campaign to quadruple the number of cycle trips between 2000 and 2025 could result in a big increase in accidents.

Of the 15 cyclists who died on the capital's roads last year, nine were killed in collisions with lorries. In most cases the lorry was turning left and the driver failed to see the cyclist on their inside, according to TfL.

Press reports have so far picked up five cyclists killed by lorries in London this year, according to the London Cycling Campaign.

The proposed mirror would give the driver, who will be looking at the traffic signals as they wait for the lights to change, a clear view of anyone between the lorry and the kerb, or those just below the front of their vehicle.

TfL is keen to try out the mirror scheme ahead of the first two "cycle superhighways" due to be completed next May, which are designed to provide safe, direct and continuous routes into central London from the outer boroughs and encourage commuters on to their bikes.

A TfL spokeswoman said: "TfL is currently in discussion with the DfT [Department for Transport] about trialing Trixi mirrors on the Transport for London road network. We are hoping to have a trial concluded before the start of the cycle superhighways pilot routes."

Another 10 routes, spanning London and intended to improve the capital's cycling infrastructure, are being developed before 2012, with each route covering between 10 and 15km (between six and nine miles).

Last month, the mayor inadvertently drew attention to the need to improve cycle safety after experiencing a close shave with a lorry as he and his team were out on their bikes inspecting cycling facilities.

Charlie Lloyd, LCC's cycling development officer and a former HGV driver, welcomed the mirrors plan but said that it was also important to educate lorry drivers about coping with their blind spots.

Lloyd claimed road haulage for the construction industry had the worst rate for deaths and injuries involving cyclists, pedestrian and motorcyclists.

"We would like to develop driver awareness programmes so that companies could buy in some training for their drivers around cyclists and pedestrians," he said.

TfL figures suggest there are 545,000 cycle trips each day – more than double the number in 2000.