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City Council Moves To Require Tracking Of Bicycle Accidents

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - As the debate continues to rage about bicycle lanes in New York City, the City Council is calling for a new tool to help shed light on the matter.

Wednesday the New York City Council unanimously passed three bills requiring the New York Police Department and Department of Transportation to provide data on bicycle crashes, car accidents and where and when drivers are getting pulled over.

The goal is to shine a light on the most dangerous intersections for pedestrians in the city. The move will also shed light on how many people are getting hurt in bicycle accidents. The bills will also make clear how many car crashes occur, and where.

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Transportation Alternatives lauds the bills to WCBS 880's Rich Lamb

About a quarter of a million people ride bicycles in New York City each day.

"Right now, people don't know what's going on on our city streets. If you want to find out how many bicycles hit pedestrians, you cannot find it out," said Nancy Gruskin, whose husband Stuart was struck and killed by a cyclist in Manhattan.

A new study shows some of the city's busiest intersections are also some of its most dangerous.

Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Paul Steely said that the new information will help make the city's streets safer.

"At this time, we do not know how many people are injured by bicyclists and we're very happy that, now, the public will know," Steely said.

What do you think of the bicycle lanes? Is NYC too friendly - or too unfriendly - to bikes? Sound off in our comments section.

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