A string of tragic hit-and-run accidents have rocked Milwaukee in the past few weeks. Headlines about reckless driving are not new, which led us to ask — what has the toll been on the mindset of community members?
Name: Richard D. Gilbert
Age: 50
Neighborhood: Capitol Heights
Richard D. Gilbert has been an MCTS bus driver for more than seven years.
“I really don’t think it (reckless driving) has anything to do with the police. People have to start taking accountability for their actions,” he said.
Aside from what he sees on a daily basis as a bus driver, his family has also been personally affected by reckless driving. His sister-in-law was killed by a reckless driver in a stolen vehicle in October 2017.
The drivers “are in a rush, and they are not taking driving as seriously as they should. They (young drivers) think it’s a game.”
Gilbert said the biggest offense he sees are drivers running red lights. He stated Capitol Drive, Fond du Lac Avenue and Sherman Boulevard are some of the hot spots where he sees the most reckless driving.
“I’m moving to another state or in the suburbs where I think it will be safer for me and my family.”
Interview by Damia Causey
Name: Rocío Leyva
Age: 46
Neighborhood: Clarke Square
Rocío Leyva’s son attends school in the Clarke Square neighborhood. She is part of the group Parents and Friends of Clarke Square, which makes sure children get to and from school safely. Leyva, along with other parents, is especially vigilant when crossing the street because of the number of reckless drivers.
The drivers “have no respect for the people crossing the street,” she said.
Leyva said people always seem to be in a rush to get somewhere. The reckless drivers don’t make stops and are putting children and adults in danger, even in school zones.
She said people need to be aware of their driving or face the consequences.
Interview by Ana Martinez-Ortiz
Name: Areiale Hudson
Age: 18
Neighborhood: Garden Homes
Quote: “About six years ago, I had a cousin who passed away by someone driving recklessly who hit him. I feel like people are not as aware and attentive as they should be when they are driving.
A lot of different things can play a role but being careless due to overconfidence is the main thing I’ve seen. It doesn’t matter how good of a driver you are, you always need to be paying attention. You never know who’s going to pop out or what might happen.”
Interview by Sam Woods
Name: Howard Snyder
Age: 69
Neighborhood: North Side (lives on the East Side)
Howard Snyder, executive director of Northwest Side Community Development Corporation, takes Capitol Drive to and from work every day. He frequently sees drivers speeding and running red lights. This type of driving is new, he said.
Snyder believes people don’t want to be in a neighborhood where reckless driving occurs at increasingly high intervals.
Snyder takes issue with tragic accidents being considered a “rookie mistake.” To him, this implies the driver is on a learning curve, like they’ll get another chance to get behind the wheel. “How can you run over a kid and call it a rookie mistake?” he asked.
From Snyder’s perspective, part of the problem is remorselessness. Reckless drivers will hit someone or something and keep going without caring about the impact of their actions. “You get a lot of people who put their foot on the pedal and don’t let up till they get to their destination,” he said.
He also said there needs to be more law enforcement and measures taken such as red-light cameras.
Interview by Ana Martinez-Ortiz
Name: Angelica Hernandez-Ayala
Age: 36
Neighborhood: Jackson Park
Quote: “As a mother, as an educator and as an individual, (reckless driving) indeed affects me. Every day I have to worry not only about myself but my children and students as well. I personally never let my children walk alone or even play near the streets because of everything you hear that goes on in our city.
As far as my students, I check the news every day to see what’s going on in our schools’ neighborhood to make sure that my little ones are safe. And I must say that I always have that sense of nervousness when I watch and only hope that I don’t see one of my students on the news.
We teach our students at a young age to be safe and even how to cross the street, but there is no way to teach them how to deal with irresponsible drivers.”
Interview by Claudia Delgadillo
Name: Aitza Cabrera
Neighborhood: West Allis/West Milwaukee
Age: 20
As a commuter student at Marquette University, Aitza Cabrera takes the bus to and from school almost daily. Though being in a bus with an experienced driver may seem safer, Cabrera said reckless driving has also impacted bus transportation.
“Numerous times, the bus had to forcefully stop due to a reckless driver getting in the way,” she said. “It’s unexpected and sometimes causes the passengers and me to grip tightly onto something to prevent ourselves from flinging forward and getting injured.”
Cabrera has also noticed cars speed up on right next to the bus to get in front of it, many times on narrow streets.
“I think increased use of substances such as drugs and alcohol have been a factor of reckless driving,” she said.
Interview by Bridget Fogarty
Terri Birt says
I was hit by a reckless driver who had 2 passengers in the car with him. His backseat passenger was egging on his fast and reckless behavior and when I was hit, that backseat accomplice was ejected from the vehicle.
There were 5 people hurt that day and I still have not returned to my job or my life as I knew it. This was on Jan 5, 2019 and the disregard for life is disgusting. To weave in and out of traffic, jump in the wrong lane and hit me almost head on for WHAT?
This city needs to change the penalty for traffic violations like this. These are crimes….speeding, driving west in eastbound lane, running a red light and serious injury are crimes not citations. The young man that did this to me and my passenger was allowed to leave the hospital and disappear, never to face me or the inside of a jail cell.
I’m sick of this city and will be looking for a new place to call home, a place that is safer, a place that values all and changes laws that reflect to times we live in now.
Wooten Denise says
I wholeheartedly agree with Ms Birt. Lawmakers must enforce the penalties for the crimes she has mentioned. Examples of the consequence of reckless auto driving, DUIs, running red lights in school zones and day care areas are illegal. Milwaukee delivers a slap on the hand instead of rigid enforcement. We have established laws but how many times have we heard of a driver under the influence being cited more than one time? They are breaking the law and not being held accountable for mayhem, destruction and even deaths. Please lawmakers take the recent lack of concern for life we have witnessed seriously. Imagine if it were your babies who were the innocent victims of unregarded behavior. A parent should not have to bury an innocent child because of foolish antics.
jabril yousef faraj says
folks are really telling on themselves with these answers. the only people who can tell you why wreckless driving occurs are the drivers. this is reporting 101. will NNS get to the bottom of the issue, or will you keep giving a bullhorn to people who have nothing but judgment to offer?
Gary Sponholz says
What!!! Are you blaming the victims (giving the victims a “bullhorn”, as you put it)?
Gary Sponholz says
It is now almost the end of February, 2020. In the last 2 weeks while in the middle of crosswalks, I would have been hit twice had I not backed out of the way on one occasion or stopped in the middle of the road on the other. The situation is not getting any better with the reckless, uncaring drivers in Milwaukee. I love the east side and was thinking of making it my home. Now . . . I’m having second thoughts. I’m 65 and walk almost everywhere. I don’t need this kind of stress. From now on, I’m going to have to stay away from crosswalks. They’re deadly dangerous.