Tag: safety
‘Road Shark’ targets aggressive drivers
Police issued nearly 5,700 citations and warnings in Fairfax County during the first wave of the 2024 Road Shark traffic safety campaign. That’s 1,990 more than the first Road Shark wave in 2023. Road Shark is coordinated by the Fairfax County Police Department in partnership with the Virginia State Police. The campaign focuses on enhancing … Continued
Culmore residents share concerns with Mason Supervisor Jimenez
Culmore residents want more police enforcement, more streetlights, more sidewalks and crosswalks, affordable healthcare, and safer, drug-free schools. Those are some of the issues brought up at a listening session hosted by Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez at Bailey’s Elementary School on Feb. 24. Jimenez told residents he wants to make Mason District “the cultural hub … Continued
Jackson Middle School postpones dance due to shooting threat
Luther Jackson Middle School postponed its Valentine’s Day dance, which was scheduled for Feb. 14, due to threats of violence, FFXnow reports. Graffiti was found in a school restroom on Feb. 12 that made a vague threat that there would be a shooting at the school on Feb. 14, Principal Raven Jones said in a … Continued
Public officials remember the pedestrians killed on the road
Public officials from Fairfax County, Arlington, and Alexandria took part in the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims Nov. 19 to remember the pedestrians killed in crashes during the past year and to talk about the need for safer streets. The event, held at Wakefield High School in Arlington, was hosted by Northern … Continued
Pedestrian safety improved on Route 7
In a follow-up to a meeting on pedestrian safety for Leesburg Pike in Culmore in August 2022, transportation officials presented an update at a community meeting Oct. 25 on what has been done and what’s in the pipeline. Culmore residents – along with CASA and the Coalition for Smarter Growth – have been complaining about … Continued
School buses hit the road tomorrow
The start of the school year means drivers need to be extra vigilant to watch out for school buses on the road and students walking to school. Classes begin tomorrow, Aug. 21. Drivers are reminded that it’s never okay to pass a school bus, speed through a school zone, or ignore a crossing guard’s direction. … Continued
Board approves school bus cameras
The Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with the Fairfax County School Board June 27 to allow video monitoring systems on school buses to enforce the law against passing a stopped bus. Cameras would be located on the stop sign arm activated when a school bus stops. A pilot program would start in spring 2024 … Continued
At Lake Accotink, mud is a hazard
If Lake Accotink is not dredged and begins to fill in with sediment, some people have speculated that it will become an unhealthy, bug-infested swamp. Vanessa Robertson warns of another danger – quicksand. When Robertson, a military veteran who has undergone survival training, learned about Fairfax County’s plan to not dredge Lake Accotink, “I immediately … Continued
This intersection is a hot spot for crashes
There’s no question that the intersection of John Marr Drive and Backlick Road in Annandale is a dangerous one. Vincent Moten, who has been keeping track, has seen six crashes at that intersection since the start of 2023. There was a horrific crash on April 8, he says. A silver RAV4 went through a red … Continued
Police target aggressive drivers
The Fairfax County Police Department rolled out its 2023 Road Shark campaign on March 13 targeting aggressive driving. Road Shark is a high-visibility coordinated enforcement and education effort aimed at reducing crashes, changing driving behavior, and, ultimately, saving lives. The police department will station officers in high-visibility areas all over the county. They will look … Continued
Church parking lot will handle overflow during construction at Justice High School
While Fairfax County Public School officials assured the Justice High School community that there will be enough parking spaces during construction and beyond, members of the community do not agree. Members of the Justice High School staff expressed strong concerns about the lack of parking during the construction of a new addition and beyond. Construction … Continued
Sleepy Hollow Road gets a speed camera
Fairfax County plans to install speed cameras at eight school zones – including Sleepy Hollow Road at Sleepy Hollow Elementary School – by Feb. 10 The goals of the photo monitoring program are to encourage drivers to slow down and protect pedestrians. Studies have shown that speed camera enforcement reduces crashes and traffic-related injuries and … Continued
2022 has been deadly for pedestrians
In a year when pedestrian fatalities spiked, let’s remember the victims. In 2022, 23 pedestrians were killed by drivers in Fairfax County, a big jump from the 13 pedestrian deaths in 2021. Nine of this year’s fatalities occurred in the Annandale/Mason District area, where heavy traffic, speeding, and insufficient crosswalks and sidewalks created deadly conditions. … Continued
Petition seeks traffic light where teen was killed crossing Columbia Pike
Following the horrific crash on Columbia Pike Nov. 16 that killed Justice High School student Lesly Diaz Bonilla, local residents are stepping up their advocacy for safer streets. The Project-Based Initiative for Bailey’s Crossroads and Culmore is publicizing a petition on behalf of the Barcroft View Apartments and the greater Culmore community urging the … Continued
Transportation officials talk safety
Improving safety on the region’s busiest roadways requires retrofitting an infrastructure built decades ago, cooperation among jurisdictions, and changing drivers’ mindsets. Those were the key points from a discussion among regional transportation leaders at a recent webinar hosted by the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. Annual traffic fatalities in Virginia … Continued