Alderman Bohl offers condolences to latest accident victim and calls for action
Statement by Alderman James A. Bohl, Jr. - October 5, 2017
I am pained to learn of yet another fatal hit-and-run car accident in our great city. In this case, the driver ran a red light, and then crashed into the victim’s car on the 7600 block of W. Appleton Avenue, killing the passenger. I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of this victim. This case is sadly one of a growing number of accidents that have taken the lives of innocent drivers, who were simply trying to get to their destination. I was most disturbed to learn, that the Milwaukee Police Department wasn’t doing more to police our roadways.
Recently, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Safety and the Milwaukee Police Department released some alarming traffic data which shows our roads are truly a safety hazard. Between 2008 and 2016 Milwaukee has seen a 73% increase in traffic fatalities, and during that same period, traffic citations have decreased 60%. This is a ‘new normal’ I am not willing to accept.
We have to take action to make our roadways safe again, and we can’t do that if Milwaukee’s Police Chief isn’t urging officers to punish reckless drivers for their irresponsible behavior behind the wheel. In 2008, we had 33 traffic fatalities in Milwaukee, that has steadily increased, and as of last year we had 57 traffic deaths. To make matters worse, our number of traffic citations actually went down, from 109,903 in 2008 to just a mere 44,178 last year. We need to show drivers that we will not tolerate reckless driving.
We need Milwaukee’s Police Chief Ed Flynn to step up in a major way. If we can’t even make our roads safe for families to drive on, then we need to look at what the police force is focused on. I am calling on the police force to prioritize citations for reckless driving.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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I am pleased to see that Ald. Bohl has finally taken the danger on our streets seriously; however, it is sad that it took another death to bring him around. I know he has been contacted over that years about the lack of city police patrols of our neighborhood streets and the potential dangers this causes leaving driver’s with the knowledge-no laws will be enforced. Now we wait to see if he backs up his words with action.
Now a new call for action, “bar stool” Donovan and “can’t get a real job” Borkowski want more high speed chases. So when they run a red light blame the police. With all the drug dealing and shootings going on in the city, by all means prioritize traffic violations.
Same holds true for those just trying to cross a street and it’s not just regular people in cars. I have nearly been hit by police as well when I have been trying to cross from one side of the street to the other at a cross walk.
No one waits for you to clear the side they want to turn onto. I have had cars within inches of me in my face or right behind me. I had one driver who hit my backpack with her rearview mirror and spun me around. No apology, no acknowledgement no nothing. Not even from the police who do it.
I drive too. I keep a respectable distance and wait.
What if someone falls, we never know.
This is a daily occurance, not an isolated incident.
So, I agree citations need to be handed out. Maybe its the only way to wake some of these people up.