Recent crashes highlight the need for efforts to focus on pedestrian safety
A series of recent crashes is leading to calls for more attention to pedestrian safety.
At today’s Board of Supervisors meeting, the board will consider restoring funding for high school crossing guards as part of the discussion on the FY 2026 carryover budget package.
Meanwhile, the Fairfax County Police Department is launching “Operation Safe Right Turn” in response to a trend of drivers turning right at an intersection without checking for pedestrians.
In response to this trend, officers from FCPD’s Traffic Division and patrol districts will be conducting focused enforcement, including citations, aimed at drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks even if they have a green light. Pedestrians in a crosswalk have the right of way.
Related story: Supervisors to reconsider their decision to eliminate high school crossing guards
The most recent pedestrian crash in the county happened Sept. 13 in the 6400 block of Lincolnia Road. The victim, an adult male, was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the vehicle remained on the scene.
Twelve pedestrians have been killed so far this year. There were 14 pedestrian deaths in 2025.
Three Fairfax County students were involved in separate crashes on Sept. 9, FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid announced.
One of the victims, a student at Frost Middle School, died after being struck by a truck on Pickett Road while bicycling home from school.
Another student, age 13, was hit by a car while a riding a bike at Toll House Road and Country Lane in Annandale. The student had minor injuries and taken to a hospital for evaluation.
An 11-year-old girl on an e-scooter was hit near Brookfield Elementary School in Chantilly that morning. She was able to jump off the scooter without being hurt.
On Sept. 1, a 16-year-old student suffered minor injuries after being struck by a car while walking to South Lakes High School in Reston.
“Pause and think about the ways that we can each help to keep our students – and each other – safe every day,” Reid wrote in a email message. “Whether we are behind the wheel, walking, biking, riding a scooter, waiting for a bus, or simply moving through a busy school parking lot, each of us has an important role to play in keeping our community safe.”
The School Board discussed a new report on school traffic and pedestrian safety at a Sept. 8 work session. One key finding is that unsafe conditions and long queues at kiss-and-ride areas is causing more parents to drop students off near the school, requiring them to walk across busy roads.
School Board member Ricardy Anderson cited safety concerns in Mason District, including a lack of sidewalks near Weyanoke Elementary School and the difficulty of crossing Gallows Road to get to Mason Crest Elementary School.
In response to the death of the Frost student, Fairfax Families for Safe Streets President Chris French said: “No child should have to risk their life simply getting home from school. This tragedy is a painful reminder that we must do more to protect people who walk and bike in Northern Virginia.”
“Safe streets require more than reminders to be careful,” French said. “They require infrastructure, policies, and accountability that recognize the safety of our most vulnerable road users.”