Practice safe driving – don’t get bitten by a ‘road shark’
The Fairfax County Police Department, in partnership with the Virginia State Police, is launching the 2026 Road Shark campaign, an initiative to crack down on dangerous driving.
Road Shark will focus enforcement efforts in areas identified through crash data and traffic analysis. Officers will be watching for violations that commonly contribute to crashes, including:
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving
- Distracted driving
- School zone violations, and
- Driving under the influence
Increased visibility on the roadways helps deter dangerous driving behaviors and encourages compliance with traffic laws.
Road Shark also focuses on prevention. Officers will engage with residents through community events, educational initiatives, and social media messaging to promote safer driving habits.
During the 2025 Road Shark campaign, nearly 49,304 citations and warnings were issued across multiple enforcement waves. That’s up from 34,687 in 2024.
As with most law enforcement actions, the critical component is enforcement judgement. Citations for truly dangerous driving is commendable – technical or border-line infractions, that primarily generate revenue, do not improve our quality of life.
Actually the border-line situations need to be addressed just as much because that is how we prevent the crime. Slow down and be conscious. If the police officers are wrong then go to traffic Court, that’s why we have it.