Councilman Stephen Levin Proposes Bill Requiring NYPD To Investigate Serious Bike Accidents

Councilman Stephen Levin (D-Brooklyn) proposed a bill that would require the NYPD to investigate all serious car-on-bike accidents, The Brooklyn Paper reports.

Currently the NYPD only investigates accidents in which "death is likely," a practice out of line with a state law that requires officials to investigate all collisions that result in serious injury. The measure would increase the number of trained Accident Investigation Squad officers across the city from 19 to 380.

"It’s vital that police investigate these cases more thoroughly,” Levin said, according to The Paper. “Reckless drivers should know there are consequences.”

The proposal comes after a series of bike accidents in Brooklyn that have gone unresolved, most notably the death of artist Mathieu LeFevre, who was struck and killed by a truck in October. LeFevre's family has filed a lawsuit against the NYPD, alleging officers at the scene lost evidence, made conflicting statements, and later withheld videos and documents from their investigation.