More than 1,000 signatures for harsher penalties for reckless driving on their way to city leaders

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Over a thousand community members said they're fed up with reckless driving on the north side of Milwaukee, and all of them signed a petition calling for the city to increase penalties for reckless driving.

Organizer Tracey Dent said more needs to be done about reckless driving in the city, and he said it starts with enforcement.

"We want action now, people are dying out in these streets," said Dent.

Dent and community members who signed the petition met Wednesday, Sept. 15 at Fond Du Lac and Capitol, a busy and often dangerous intersection, to talk about what they're looking for.

"What is being done? We hear that money has been implemented into the city to combat reckless driving, but we haven't seen anything on the north side, not on Capitol Drive, not on Fond Du Lac," said Dent.

He and others said what the city has been trying isn't enough, as on his and others' way there Wednesday, they drove past multiple accidents.

"People are moving out of our community, people no longer want to live in Milwaukee," said community member Tynnetta Jackson.

Which is why Dent is calling for more money to go towards programs to change the social aspects, but also, he said he wants to see harsher penalties for reckless drivers.

"We don't want to put more people of color in prison, we know that. But right is right and wrong is wrong, if you don't want to go to jail, don't do it," said Dent.

Fourth District Senator Democrat Lena Taylor she said while she supports the idea of addressing the very real issue, she feels it needs to be addressed differently, through community efforts.

"But we aren't going to be able to lock people up and police our way through these issues, these are issues that have to be dealt with in our homes, these are issues that have to be dealt with in our schools, these are issues that have to be dealt with in our community," said Taylor.

Dent said they plan to send the petition to the DA, the Common Council, the mayor and others.