The Root; Published By: Candace McDuffie
Nearly 30 members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) are encouraging the Department of Transportation to denounce the “unjust and discriminatory status quo” of traffic enforcement. They are also requesting reform to reduce traffic stops that are driven by racial bias.
In a letter directly addressing Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 27 members of the CBC, including Democratic Reps. Cori Bush (Mo.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (Minn.), said they have a “grave concern for the wellbeing of Black drivers.”
Every year, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that more than 20 million people are pulled over for traffic violations. Even though Black folks are less likely to have access to a vehicle, they are more likely to be stopped than their white peers. The lawmakers say this is because officers frequently choose to enforce traffic laws against Black drivers over white ones. Read more
