Prince George's County Task Force releases suggestions addressing pedestrian safety
Dec 18, 2024
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) -- A Prince George's County task force is suggesting more ways the community can keep students safe as they go to and from school.
This comes after a lawsuit was filed against several county agencies following the death of two students last year.
"This work group was charged with coming up with county recommendations to improve our pedestrian safety," Prince George's County Council Member Wanika Fisher said.
Driver arrested, charged for fatally crashing into man riding lawn mower in Gaithersburg
Since its creation, the school pedestrian safety group has released about 18 recommendations that could help address pedestrian safety.
One of those recommendations includes a "walking school bus" where students walk in bigger groups to and from school.
"Usually there's a parent or teacher volunteer in the front and a parent in the back, and kids actually will gather and walk together, almost like a school bus but on foot," Fisher explained. "All of the data and study shows people who walk in groups, the fatality numbers and just the safety goes up."
Fisher gives recommendations to drivers to slow down on the roads, especially near school zones.
She is also calling on other local and state leaders to get more of these recommendations implemented.
"We're trying to find solutions that tailor fit our residents, where they are, and the issues that they have," Fisher said. "It's not a one-size-fits-all solution for every school."