MILWAUKEE — A new digital dashboard that pinpoints where crashes are happening in Milwaukee County was unveiled as a tool to help curb the issue.
Pastor James West sees the county's new dashboard as a step in the right direction.
"It's a start. We have to start somewhere,” West explained.
TMJ4’s Megan Lee first spoke with him a few weeks back right after his mentee and dear friend, Amari Smith was killed by a man speeding. The pain is still very real today.
"Trying to just continue to get closure and it will take time to heal,” West said.
There are still remnants of the deadly crash here at 20th and Burleigh St. The database would work to prevent crashes like this from happening again.
West said these crashes are traumatizing for everyone involved. It's called secondary trauma.
"It's that fear you know. It traumatizes the community; it puts fear in your heart, and you feel clueless about what can you do,” West explained.
Statistics show that low-income populations and people of color are impacted by crashes at a higher rate.
West said, "Everyone doesn't have the money to live in the suburbs, but everyone still deserves to live in a safe place.”
The new database will pinpoint the neighborhoods deeply impacted by car crashes. The county will be able to use data for traffic-calming solutions.
West said this will help "Why is it happening, where is it happening so often right and then starts to put things in place. Some safety measures, people deserve it."
He hopes more information on crashes will lead to much-deserved change in the area.
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