More than two dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Thursday urging him to address racial inequality in traffic enforcement.
The group, spearheaded by Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), called on the Department of Transportation to condemn the “status quo of traffic enforcement” and to create reforms to reduce racial inequality in traffic stops. The lawmakers raised concerns about traffic stops resulting in excessive force, saying that “Far too many Black people have been killed by police in the name of traffic safety.”
“We write to express grave concern for the wellbeing of Black drivers across the United States,” the lawmakers wrote. “On our nation’s roads and highways, Black motorists have experienced disproportionate scrutiny and excessive force under the guise of traffic enforcement.”
The letter references Bureau of Justice statistics that state Black motorists are overrepresented in the more than 20 million people pulled over for traffic stops in the U.S. each year. It also cited data from the organization, Mapping Police Violence, that said police officers killed 175 people after they were initially stopped for a traffic violation in 2022.
This letter comes more than two months after Tyre Nichols, a Black 29-year-old man, died from injuries after he was pulled over in a traffic stop and beaten by a group of police officers in Memphis, Tenn. His death sparked outrage across the country, prompting lawmakers and activists to call for law enforcement reform.
The lawmakers specifically urged Buttigieg to investigate public campaigns and grants designed to incentive policing in traffic enforcement, and to ask the secretary to make sure federal funds are not contributing to racist enforcement. The group also said that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act should set aside funding for traffic light upgrades that “can reduce enforcement demands.”
“Generations of Black people have been unjustly subjected to biased traffic enforcement and police interaction,” the letter reads. “While driving laws have been enacted at every level of government to safeguard the public, officers selectively enforce these laws to the detriment of Black drivers.”
“Traffic safety should not come at the expense of the dignity and safety of the Black community,” the lawmakers added. “The status quo of inequitable traffic enforcement is the product of racist policies, outdated infrastructure, and limited oversight. We urge the Department of Transportation to condemn harmful enforcement practices and develop reforms that support the wellbeing of Black people traveling on our nation’s roads and highways.”
