Here & Now

Tracey Dent on Efforts to Stop Reckless Driving in Milwaukee

Frederica Freyberg:

In public safety news, last weekend in Milwaukee five people were killed including a baby when police say a driver going 80 miles an hour on a city street ran a red light. The 20-year-old behind the wheel did not have a license according to police. Reckless deadly driving in Milwaukee has had the attention of residents, police and lawmakers for years. In 2020, a record 107 people in the county died because of it. Last week Governor Tony Evers signed into law a bill that doubles the fines for reckless driving, including a maximum fine of $4,000 for causing bodily harm and up to six years in prison. Our next guest would say, it’s about time. Tracey Dent, known as a Milwaukee activist and director of The Peace for Change Alliance has been active on this frightening problem in his city and he joins us now from his vehicle in Milwaukee. Thanks very much for doing so.

Tracey Dent:

Thanks for having me.

Frederica Freyberg:

Two years ago you were quoted as saying people were tired and afraid and this problem persists. What was your reaction to the deadly crash last weekend?

Tracey Dent:

Two years ago, like I said, was tired and afraid, now we’re tired and we’re angry. That should have never happened. You know even a baby killed. It is devastating. The whole city is devastated. We’re tired and we’re angry and it is time for action. Um, yeah, that is all the emotions, you know. We’re fighting back basically.

Frederica Freyberg:

You are an Uber driver and you drive the streets of Milwaukee. What is that like?

Tracey Dent:

It’s like the Indy 500. You know, it’s like people cut you off. People running red lights. People just — I mean they’re just reckless out there. They don’t have no sense of value of life. There’ve been a couple times where, you know, I almost was in a serious accident because somebody just blew through a red light. Somebody blew through a stop sign. Somebody just all of a sudden trying to beat the traffic and turn right in front of us. It is just — it is like, you know it makes people not want to drive anymore. You know, because it is so crazy out here.

Frederica Freyberg:

Recent studies on this problem have shown that it is increasingly and disproportionately a problem in Black communities. What is that about?

Tracey Dent:

Um, that, I mean, you see a high sense of reckless driving on the north side of Milwaukee. You can say the Black community, yes. I think that on the Black community — I mean on the north side of Milwaukee, we are so relaxed when it comes to um, traffic safety, and then in the Black community, I mean like everything — we stay, in Milwaukee is so segregated. On the north side, you go the Black community. And people just, you know, they just have no value. I always say it like this. We have to be more tough on crime here in Milwaukee, specially on the north side because these same drivers would not do this in the suburban — cities. They won’t do it in Oak Creek. They won’t do it in south Milwaukee because they know they have zero tolerance there. And we need zero tolerance here in Milwaukee.

Frederica Freyberg:

What is the mindset of drivers who roar around behind the wheel blowing red lights?

Tracey Dent:

Um, they think it’s cool. They do it. Some record it and put it on social media. You know, for views, for likes, for attention. They just — you know, that’s the “in” thing. That’s pretty much what it is. It’s like they just want to, you know, just speed. It is like they have no sense of value of life and if they don’t care about their lives, why should they care about yours.

Frederica Freyberg:

How —

Tracey Dent:

That goes for — go ahead.

Frederica Freyberg:

How do you think the new law that increases fines and jail time might affect this, might change this for the better?

Tracey Dent:

Um, I support it. Some people say we don’t need the pipeline to prison. We need more resources and that’s true but they also have to own up to their actions. Right now it’s like, you know, the law is afraid to apply tougher penalties on people of color because they are tired of seeing people of color in prison, in jail. You know. We have one of the highest incarceration rates in the country so therefore they try to be more lenient when it comes to traffic violations. You know. But now it is time because we are losing people. It is time for zero tolerance. Period. So I support the double fining and jail time. You got the younger generation feels that the current — what’s going on right now with the current law is a joke and it’s a slap on the wrist for teenagers. It is like they’ll get arrested. Few hours later, they’re back out and they are out there stealing another car and driving off again. That’s why we need to have zero tolerance in the city of Milwaukee. We have to mimic the Oak Creek, the south Milwaukee, West Allis zero tolerance policy when it comes to reckless driving.

Frederica Freyberg:

All right. Tracey Dent, we need to leave it there. Thanks very much for your comment on this. Stay safe out there on the roadways.

Tracey Dent:

All right. Thank you.