Milwaukee Hospital Prevents Gun Violence With Car Crash Data

A groundbreaking study from Children's Wisconsin just revealed an unexpected way to prevent gun violence: paying attention to car crashes.

Researchers found that nearly one in four young people treated for gunshot wounds had previously visited the emergency room for car crashes or other injuries. That pattern, discovered after studying over 2,600 ER visits from 2018 to 2022, gives doctors a chance to step in before violence strikes.

Dr. Mike Levas, a pediatric emergency medicine professor who led the study, sees car crashes as an early warning sign. Risky behaviors often cluster together during adolescence, when the decision-making parts of the brain are still developing.

"Most people, as they grow, don't make great choices all the time," Levas explained. Society has a responsibility to provide guardrails during those vulnerable years.

Now Children's Wisconsin is turning research into action. The hospital runs Project Ujima, a violence intervention program that currently helps young victims of shootings, stabbings, and assaults through case management, mental health support, and mentorship.

The program wraps support around entire families, not just the injured teen. Manager Brooke Cheaton emphasizes they address every concern, from safety to emotional wellbeing to connecting families with community resources.

Based on the new findings, the hospital is considering expanding Project Ujima to include car crash victims. The goal: prevent gun violence before it happens by identifying at-risk youth earlier.

The Ripple Effect

This approach could transform how hospitals think about violence prevention. Instead of waiting for tragedy, emergency rooms become early intervention points where young people get connected to mentors and support systems.

Dr. Deanna Behrens of the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that traumatic events rarely happen in isolation. Identifying patterns helps communities provide help when it matters most.

Parents can help too. Levas encourages opening communication lines and connecting kids with trusted adult mentors across different parts of their lives.

Maria Beyer, who co-authored the study, believes mentoring and youth development programs are key to intervening earlier and understanding the shared risk factors behind both reckless driving and gun violence.

One hospital's careful attention to patterns could help keep Milwaukee's young people safe before violence touches their lives.