Local leaders Join Child Safety Advocates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: August 8, 2025

                                                                                                    Contact: Gary Karton
                                                                                                                                                Email: [email protected]
                                                                                                                                                 Phone: (202) 662-0630

Local leaders Join Child Safety Advocates to Announce New Safety Campaign
in Suburban MD Area Burdened with Frequent Pedestrian/Bicycle Crashes

Purple Line Transit Partners awards Safe Kids Worldwide grant to support life-saving child pedestrian and bicycle safety initiative in corridor communities

TAKOMA PARK, Md.— Safe Kids Worldwide and Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP) today announced a new partnership to improve child pedestrian and bicycle safety in communities along the Purple Line corridor. The announcement was made during a grant presentation event at Takoma Academy Preparatory School, where local leaders and safety advocates, including Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart, Prince George’s County Councilmember Wanika Fisher, and Children’s National Hospital pediatrician Dr. Nathaniel Beers, joined elementary students to raise awareness about pedestrian and bike safety and to share proven strategies to prevent child deaths and injuries.

According to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Street Smart campaign, pedestrian fatalities in the region rose 43% between 2018 and 2024, compared to the previous seven-year period. Bicycle fatalities increased by 23%. Children are especially vulnerable because of their size, visibility challenges and developing ability to judge speed and distance.

The $5,000 grant will fund Sake Kids Worldwide’s “Shine and Ride,” an education campaign focused on helping children in northwest Prince George’s County and southeast Montgomery County safely walk and bike in their neighborhoods—areas where crash data shows children are at particularly high risk. These communities are also home to major Purple Line construction, making traffic safety awareness even more urgent.

“This is an area that we care about deeply and too many kids are getting injured or killed from the simple act of just walking or biking, many times to and from school,” said Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids Worldwide. “During this time of construction, we’re excited to partner with the Purple Line Transit Partners and other like-minded organizations to provide education in real time, so parents and caregivers have the information and resources they need to keep their kids safe in and around this train.”

“We couldn’t be prouder to support Safe Kids Worldwide with this highly targeted initiative to keep kids safe, whether they’re on two feet or two wheels,” said Doran Bosso, CEO of Purple Line Transit Partners. “We created the ‘Beyond the Rails’ community grant program to support groups like Safe Kids that do so much to make our region a better – and safer – place to live, work and play.”

The campaign, set to launch in the coming months, will engage local schools, caregivers and community groups to promote safe walking and riding behaviors, improve visibility, and increase awareness of construction-related hazards.

Gwen Ward, a Montgomery County mother whose daughter, Christina, was struck and killed while crossing the street, concluded the event by speaking about the lasting impact of that tragedy and her hope that the program will save lives.

“No one should endure the pain my family has faced over the past 12½ years,” said Gwen. “It is my mission to honor Christina’s legacy through continued advocacy and education.”

About Safe Kids Worldwide
Safe Kids Worldwide is a nonprofit organization working to reduce unintentional injuries to children ages 0-19 and build sustained systems that support injury prevention. Safe Kids works with strategic partners and an extensive network of more than 400 coalitions in the U.S. to reduce traffic injuries, drownings, sleep-related deaths, falls, burns, poisonings, and more. Learn more at safekids.org. 

About Purple Line Transit Partners
Purple Line Transit Partners is the public-private partnership responsible for building the Purple Line, a 16-mile light rail line that will connect communities and expand access to jobs, schools and services in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. PLTP is committed to building safer, stronger communities along the Purple Line corridor.