Saving Lives

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and Community Stakeholders Launch Vision Zero Prince George’s

Alexander and Rosalie Mejia, both age 5 and their little brother Isaac, age 1, were gone in an instant.

The three children who died in the tragic car crash on Indian Head Highway Dec. 30, 2018 were gone by the time emergency services crews arrived. That’s how fast it happened. That’s how quickly life can be lost.

More than 60 people have died in crashes on Indian Head Highway in the past 11 years, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration. AAA rates it one as of the most dangerous roads in the DMV. But it’s not the only one: motorists, young drivers, pedestrians and too many others are dying at increasing rates in high speed car crashes.

The time has come to end the loss of life on county roads and regional stakeholders have come together to do something about it.

Prince George’s County joins a handful of American county and municipal governments who are at the forefront of the expanding international Vision Zero movement. The county is utilizing an interdisciplinary and interagency approach to implement strategies and put resources in place to achieve zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 2040.

Prince George’s County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks launched Vision Zero Prince George’s July 25 alongside county, state and regional leaders.

“We have a lot to be proud of in Prince George’s County, but this is an area where we can and will do better,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks. “We are committed to Vision Zero and I ask our community to join us in this effort, because the loss of even one life on our roadways is simply unacceptable.”

The County Council recently passed a resolution signaling their support for the effort.

Information on Vision Zero Prince George’s will be available at www.VisionZeroPrinceGeorges.com.

In the coming days, work will begin on implementing an action plan that will serve as the foundation of Vision Zero Prince George’s. The action items are focused on six key areas (the “6 E’s”): education, emergency response, engineering, enforcement, evaluation and equity.

Alexander, Rosalie and Isaac would have been 26 and 21 years old by 2040.