County launches ‘Take a Moment’ pedestrian safety campaign

In the face of an alarming increase in pedestrian and bicycle-related crashes, Fairfax County urges drivers to “take a moment” to slow down and be extra careful at intersections.  

Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay, Police Chief Kevin Davis, and other county leaders unveiled the Take a Moment campaign at a press conference Sept. 27 at the Reston Fire Station.

Countywide, there were 6,745 crashes between 2017 and 2020, including 154 crashes that involved a pedestrian and 47 that involved a bicyclist.

During that period, 772 crashes in Fairfax County involved speed, and 32 percent occurred between 3 and 7 p.m.

Some of the roads in Mason District, including Leesburg Pike, Columbia Pike, and Little River Turnpike are hotspots for crashes. Local residents and safety advocates are urging transportation officials to improve pedestrian safety along Route 7 in Culmore. VDOT and the Fairfax County Transportation Department are working on implementing a range of fixes.

Related story: VDOT pursues safety improvements for Route 7 in Culmore

The Take a Moment campaign highlights these safety tips for drivers:

• Stop and wait for school buses to safely load and unload children.
• Give yourself enough time to allow for students walking and biking to and from school.
• Slow down and take extra care in school zones and in neighborhoods.
• Make eye contact with drivers and pedestrians at stoplights and intersections before proceeding.
• As the seasons change, turn on your lights at dusk and slow down during winter weather.
• Do not text and drive and avoid other distractions.
• Stop for pedestrians in crosswalks and anywhere else in the street.
• Before turning right on red or at a stop sign, stop and take a moment to look left, right, left again, and straight to make sure there are no pedestrians or cyclists in the way.

Safety tips for bicyclists:

• Ride with traffic and obey traffic rules, signals, and stop signs. Stay as close to the right edge of the road as possible.
• Always be ready to yield. Take a moment to slow down, stop, or give the right of way to avoid a collision.
• If you can’t make eye contact with other road users before moving into their line of travel, wave an arm, yell, or ring a bell to get their attention.
• To be visible at night, during twilight, and in rainy conditions. use lights and reflectors.
• Be aware of your surroundings and take a moment to look for loose gravel, ice, sand, puddles, and other hazards.

Safety tips for pedestrians:

• Don’t assume drivers can see you. Use your phone’s flashlight when walking in the dark to increase your vision and visibility.
• If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible.
• If you need to cross the road, use a marked crosswalk if available; otherwise, cross at a location with good sightlines in both directions.
• Do not attempt to cross the street in front of an approaching vehicle or stopped bus. 
• Make eye contact with drivers before you cross.