CAPITOL HEIGHTS, Md. — Quick thinking by a Prince George's County mother stopped a tragedy from happening outside her home Friday morning.
Capitol Heights resident Tomasa Mejia took her three boys out to their bus stop shortly before 8 am.
As the four stepped off the curb, along Addison Road, near Pine Grove Road, to enter the bus, a car came speeding toward them.
Surveillance video from the Mejia’s home showed a silver car pass the bus, from behind, on its right side; the same location where the Mejias had almost walked into the street.
“Thank God, we were all holding hands,” Mejia said.
She said the driver never stopped.
“People, they’re just not respecting anything,” she said.
The Mejias told WUSA9 similar incidents have happened in the past along the same stretch of a two-lane roadway.
They said people often speed down the road and use a non-traffic lane, near the sidewalk, to pass other vehicles.
“This is not the first time that this has happened and that is why we decided to have a camera automatically turn to their stop every morning,” said Capitol Heights resident David Mejia. “The number of cars constantly speeding makes this part of Addison Road really dangerous because cars try to pass using the right turn lane. We have lived in this address for 11 years and have personally seen many accidents because of people speeding in the right turn lane.”
Prince George’s County Police Department data shows at least seven traffic accidents have happened near the intersection over the last five years.
WUSA9 reached out to Prince George’s County’s transportation department for information on what it is doing to address speeding concerns along the Capitol Heights stretch of Addison Road. It sent the following statement:
"Thank you for sharing this video with the Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T), which shows a driver speeding past a school bus. We are thankful that no one was injured. According to our records, we do not have any recent studies done, as we have not had any recent complaints about this location. This particular location is a major collector roadway and is not eligible for speed humps. However, we will send someone out to review this area for any additional safety measures that could be implemented."
Prince George County Councilmember Krystal Oriadha, who serves Capitol Heights, said her office is working to address safety issues along the roadway.
She said she has received several complaints about traffic in the area.
“Traffic safety is public safety and we have to take action to ensure the safety of our children and our families, while also holding accountable reckless motorists,” Oriadha said. “As a community, we have to do better at keeping our communities and our children safe. My office is looking into the matter. We are working on finding an immediate solution that will ensure the safety of this community.”
While Mejia also wants safety issues on the road to be fixed, she has a demand for the driver who sped past her family Friday: slow down.
“These were my kids, but what if it were his, you know?” she said.