Automated bike enforcement laws are spreading across US cities like wildfire. New AI camera technology is now being used to help identify drivers who are breaking the laws.
Unfortunately, the number of drivers being caught blocking biking lanes is on the rise. City officials are hoping that drivers who break the laws will be identified and hit with fines.
Chicago, California, and New York are just a few of the municipalities that have recently passed bike enforcement legislation.
These locations are also among the first to test the recently launched technology by Hayden AI.
Cyclist Deaths on the Rise
Unfortunately, this type of enforcement is urgently needed.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of bicyclists killed in the United States in 2021, rose by 2.2 percent from the previous year.
The 966 cyclist who lost their lives is the highest number since 1975.
While there is no concrete data on how many cyclists were killed due to blocked lanes, this is undeniably a dangerous hazard for bike riders.
Just last year, 3-year-old child was killed in Chicago when her mother was forced to swerve her bike out of the way of an illegally parked truck.
Lily was thrown from the family bike’s mounted seat and hit by another vehicle. Another 2018 incident that resulted in the death of Madison Lyden in New York forced the construction of a bike lane.
Hope for Safer Roads
CalBike executive director Kendra Ramsey says she is hoping that the new legislation in California will make a difference in the ways drivers abide by the laws.
“We are hoping that tickets for illegal parking will cause a change in culture. Maybe people will realize just how important this is and will abide by the laws,” said Ramsey.
Hayden AI is hoping its technology will do its part in identifying drivers who are breaking the law. The AI technology is powered to identify objects and the ability to map certain paths.
Once the vehicles that are obstructing lanes are identified, the information will be shared with law enforcement.
The technology can be mounted on moving objects like buses rather than stationary structures. This will give it more significant reach.
While there is no data on the accuracy of the cameras, the company says it is hoping they will garner the same 99 percent accuracy rate found on bus lane blocking cameras.
Charles Territo, Hayden AI chief growth officer says “as long as it’s seen, it can be mapped. And the law will be enforced.”
Territo also said that each city is different. What is good for one may not be the same for another. He says any agency has the right to reject and AI information.
But he went on to say that even though some cities may be a bit apprehensive in the beginning, officials need to be informed about the scope of the problem.
Improving Cities for Cyclists
There are many steps cities can take to make their roads safer for cyclists including separated bike lanes, improving intersections, improving signage and signaling and educational campaigns.
Encouraging citizens to take more trips by bicycle instead of cars can increase health and decrease pollution.
In order to get more people on their bikes, cities need to work to make cycling safer and embracing the new technology of enforcement cameras can bring us closer to reducing deaths and injuries.
