The NYPD has begun tracking bike accidents like it does any other traffic incident, according to a report.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly wants bicycle crashes and pedestrian run-ins tracked in order to analyze trends and impose new safety measures where appropriate, according to the Daily News.
A recent study indicated about 500 pedestrians are hospitalized each year after accidents with bikers, the paper reported.
The city plans to roll out nearly 2,000 new bike lanes over the next 15 years and police are endeavoring to get ahead of the game by paying more attention to accidents that involve cyclists.
The city started tracking biking accidents Thursday, reports the News. The new system requires police to complete a full accident report, whereas previously, officers only had to document some basic information.
An NYPD spokeswoman told the News the new process would allow the city to track bicycle-involved accidents just like it does car accidents.
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