FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) _ Thousands of mopeds and scooters are now registered with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles after a new law went into effect in January.

The law places more stringent requirements on riders of two-wheel vehicles, requiring all operators to be at least 15 years old and register with the BMV.

Lawmakers passed the regulations to help police enforce safety laws, while also tracking accidents and injuries.

Until now, lax rules meant authorities had no idea how many of the two-wheel vehicles were on the road. The Journal Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/1emAVKz ) police now can access information on more than 17,000 of the scooters.