Traffic Fatalities Drastically Increased Over Past 3 Years in Milwaukee

Could a spike in stolen car crashes have a direct connection with an increase in traffic fatalities?  Milwaukee city leaders are determined to get to the bottom of it.

Thursday morning members of the public safety committee met hoping to learn more about the rise in traffic fatalities in the city.

Some of the aldermen don’t think police are doing enough to stop it.

"I see zero will from Chief Flynn, as far as taking care of anything that is going on with our city streets. And Quite frankly, I'm tired of it," said Alderman Mark Borkowski.

Traffic fatalities over the past 3 years have drastically increased.

Milwaukee Police said in 2015 there were 64 traffic related deaths in Milwaukee.

Numbers are still being calculated for 2016, but at this time there have been 57 deaths.

Compare those numbers to 2003 when there were just 22 traffic fatalities.

Police said speed, distracted drivers, and drivers under the influence are some of the reasons for the fatal crashes.

While the city has installed led traffics, and speed readers in areas, the public safety committee says that's not enough.

They want to reinstate a safety commission to help reduce those numbers.

The public safety committee will be designing what that commission should look like and want public input.

They hope to have it up and running within the next couple of months.