Mayor, community members discuss reckless driving ahead of day of remembrance for traffic victims

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Ahead of World Day of Remembrance for Traffic Victims, the city discussed the increasing danger on Milwaukee's roads.

"Our family is broken, and it will never ever be the same again," Ilona Peer said.

The family of Danari Peer, who was killed last year after a reckless driver crashed the car he was inside into a tree, begged drivers to slow down on Friday.

"We couldn't even say goodbye to him. We couldn't have an open casket," Ilona Peer said. "We will miss him forever and ever."

Mayor Cavalier Johnson brought the Peer families and others together to proclaim Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, to be a day of remembrance of victims of traffic violence.

A recent Milwaukee crash analysis shows an 86% increase in reckless driving over five years, data the city plans to use to reduce incidents. Roads like Capitol Drive ranked high on the list of streets where the most fatal and serious crashes occur. The mayor said as they try to eliminate traffic deaths, this information will help them focus their resources.

"You drive through Milwaukee today, you see a number of physical improvements to our infrastructure to stop people from passing on the right," Johnson said. "Probably one of the most egregious reckless driving behaviors that we've seen, folks come up on the side of you, and they just zoom past you on the right."

However, Tanisha Peer, the aunt of Danari Peer, tells CBS 58 that not enough is being done.

"That's not going to stop it. Right? They're going to find other streets to drive fast on. To me, it's putting a band-aid on a bullet hole," she said. "We need to start dealing with social and economic issues. Not just putting structures on the street."

She believes curbing the desire to drive recklessly should be a priority.

"When I was in school, we drivers ed in high school. I think that would help, bringing that back into schools," Peer said.

Johnson said on Friday that he believes the city's focus on education, enforcement, and physical changes to roadways will decrease reckless driving.

A vigil for World Remembrance Day for Traffic Victims will be held from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on Sunday at All Saints Catholic Church with resources for families of victims.