Technology to help cyclists ride safer in Grand Rapids has landed at the Grand Rapids Police Department in the form of new high tech radar systems to enforce a five foot distance between passing drivers of vehicles and a cyclist.

According to WZZM, this new radar technology will be attached to police officer bicycles and can detect the distance between handlebars and passing vehicles. If a car breaks the five foot rule the radar detector will record the incident. The officer on the bike will then notify a patrol car that will pull over the driver.

The Driving Change program has helped in reducing fatal bicycle crashes and Grand Rapids Police hope these new radar detectors help even further.

Officers in Grand Rapids were trained using the devices on Tuesday and are the first police department in the state to acquire the new technology.

In the first few weeks, if someone is pulled over, they likely will not get a ticket unless the infraction is way over the top. After that, drivers will receive a ticket for breaking the five-foot rule when passing a bike.

Grand Rapids Police plan to test the new radar systems this year but plan on using them in years to come. Drivers beware.

 

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