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A University of Wisconsin Police Department investigation into an accident between a bicyclist and a moped driver last Wednesday found the biker had an unrelated medical condition that contributed to the crash.
As a result of the condition, the bicyclist remains in the hospital in critical condition, UWPD Sergeant Aaron Chapin said. He added the bicyclist is not a student and is not affiliated with the university.
Chapin said the moped driver, who was a UW student, attempted to safely and legally pass the bicyclist at the 1600 block of Linden Drive the morning of Feb. 26. The biker began to weave within his lane, eventually crashing into the moped.
According to Chapin, no charges or citations are being pursued at this time. The moped driver was treated at the hospital for her injuries and released.
In a press release issued Friday, Chapin said UWPD’s investigation found the bicyclist’s medical condition contributed to his “erratic behavior and was a contributing factor in the crash.”
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said the accident shows the need for city officials to review moped policies in Madison.
He added while Madison officials study a variety of traffic and safety issues that include pedestrians, traffic, motorized vehicles and bicyclists, moped drivers are often left out of studies.
A Madison committee recently formed to review moped policies related to traffic patterns and parking. Resnick added a review of moped safety procedures should be included.
“I do think we need to look at safety precautions between moped drivers and bicyclists,” Resnick said. “It would be easy to look at safety with mopeds. … I think this is an accident that highlights the necessity of that, and the city will play a role in that.”
Both UW student government committees and Madison officials are currently weighing reforms to campus and city moped policies, particularly on parking rules, in an attempt to increase traffic safety.
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