MILWAUKEE — Sunday will mark World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims.
It's a day of global celebration, sparked by an issue in communities around the world - reckless driving. It's a crisis that is also plaguing streets in Milwaukee and across the State of Wisconsin.
"In our state alone we've had 513 deaths this year, 86 in our city alone," said Steve O'Connell, Chair of the Sherman Park Reckless Driving Committee. He's issuing a call to action. "Basically, go to (your) church and ask the pastor to pray. To step up and say, 'Can we lift up in prayer today all of those individuals who have been killed in our community and remember them in prayer today?'"
Similar memorials will happen in more than 60 communities from coast to coast.
"It's significant because all of a sudden with Vision Zero we're beginning to zero in on 'How does this impact our community? How does this impact the world?'" said O'Connell.
Vision Zero is Milwaukee's quest to reach zero traffic-related deaths or serious injuries by the year 2037.
"I would say on World Day of Remembrance, probably everybody has a way to pitch in by really looking at their own community and thinking, 'How can we make this safer and more comfortable for everybody?'" said Leah Shahum, Executive Director of the Vision Zero Network.
She believes this day can especially serve those who are most vulnerable in the community.
"Those are children, seniors, people walking and biking, people who live in low-income communities and communities of color," said Shahum.
In Milwaukee, it's an opportunity to increase engagement in the fight against dangerous driving moving forward.
"It's now beginning to ask the whole community to get involved," said O'Connell.
Thoughts and prayers helping to remember victims and hope to encourage safer driving.
