By LaKeshia N. Myers
Representative LaKeshia Myers
I have dedicated a good portion of my legislative career to fighting reckless driving. From introducing bills to allow red light and speed enforcement cameras, to seeking enhanced penalties for repeat offenders. At each step, legislative Republicans looked the other way and chose not to move forward with the legislation. Even as leaders from municipalities outside of Milwaukee plead for support and have similar cries for help; the requests fall on deaf ears.
Over the summer, four-year-old Zekani Hymes Wilson lost her life to a reckless driver. The community was devastated and called for an extraordinary session to deal with the issue. But again, no movement occurred, only more silence. Most recently, our community lost Mr. Clarence Bibbins to reckless driving. His death truly hit home for me because he was a constituent I knew personally. Mr. Bibbins was a transplant to Milwaukee from Indiana; moving here in his retirement to help his daughter and son-in-law with their children. Clarence was a “community dad,” always lending a helping hand and doing all he could to serve others. For his life to be cut short due to the recklessness of others is a damning end to a life that was so great.
As I wind down my legislative tenure, I can only hope that those still in legislative service realize that with every life lost to reckless driving, it is a reminder that we are abdicating our duty to rectify the law. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel as of last Tuesday, 59 people had died in crashes in Milwaukee this year, according to police. In 2023, 76 people died in crashes. When is enough, enough? Must tragedy have to come to your front door for it to be actualized? We have experienced enough death for several lifetimes. Its time for the legislature to do its job and address reckless driving as the public health crisis that it is.