Gallows Road called the most dangerous for pedestrians
A report released Sept. 10 by Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets says Mason District had more “near misses,” where pedestrians and bicyclists were almost struck by vehicles, than any other Fairfax County magisterial district.
There were 27 near misses reported in Mason District between Jan. 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026.
The worst spot for near misses in Fairfax County is the crosswalk at Gallows Road by Woodburn Elementary School in Mason District. There were nine incident reports at that location. “This indicates an extremely high risk to children,” NoVa Families for Safe Streets says.
“Near Miss Report Overview Across Fairfax, Arlington, & Alexandria” is based on reports from residents on locations where people have experienced a near miss or considered dangerous for pedestrians or cyclists. The incidents are displayed on a “near miss dangerous locations dashboard.”
To report a near miss, text 88 to 844-421-3078.
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Since the near miss report was released, Theresa Flynn, 53, was crossing Route 50 in Chantilly in a mobility wheelchair on Sept. 18 when she was fatally struck by a vehicle. On Sept. 17, a 12-year-old bicyclist suffered minor injuries after he was struck by a 16-year-old driver near Burke.
During the study period, 129 near-miss reports were submitted across Fairfax County:
- 94 of them were marked as recurring incidents.
- The top reported driver behaviors were failure to yield (64%), speeding (36%), and distracted driving (20%).
- Children were present in 54% of the incidents.
- The majority of reports involved roadways with speed limits of 25 mph or 35 mph, which shows that “lower speed limits alone don’t stop risky driving.”
- Most of the environmental or infrastructure factors cited were poor visibility and missing crosswalks or sidewalks.
Driver behavior in near-miss incidents in Mason District was most often due to failure to yield (78%), followed by speeding (48%), and failure to obey a traffic signal or sign (33%).
Excessive speeding was found to be significantly higher across Gallows Road, especially near Woodburn, than on other roads in the area, according to data from an insurance-based mobile app that tracks driver behavior.
In addition to speeding, other issues reported at that location include failure to stop for pedestrians and improper right turns on red.
In June, a 68-year-old man was fatally struck by a driver outside of a crosswalk on Gallows Road at Strawberry Lane in Merrifield.
The report includes several quotes: One person was on the crosswalk on the way to Woodburn Elementary with their son when “two lanes had stopped, but the far lane was coming at a high rate of speed towards the crosswalk. They had to come to a very quick stop, or they would have hit my son and I.”
The report recommends adding active enforcement, speed safety cameras, stop sign cameras, or crosswalk flashing signs at the Woodburn crosswalk on Gallows Road.
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Another hazardous road in Mason District cited in the report is Leesburg Pike.
There were 43 crashes – including 23 with severe injuries or fatalities – on Leesburg Pike between January 2021 and July 2024, NoVA Families for Safe Streets reports.
A pedestrian was killed on Leesburg Pike at Munson Hill Road after being struck by a vehicle in June. Three pedestrians were injured in a crash on Leesburg Pike by Crossroads Center Way in July.
The report calls for improving safety on Leesburg Pike by restricting or eliminating right-on-red turns at crosswalks.