Police to Target These 11 County Areas Where More Fatal and Serious Crashes Occur

Fairfax County police will be targeting 11 areas over the next month that have been found to have a disproportionately high incidence of fatal or serious-injury crashes involving pedestrians.

Police said crime analysts who studied a number of fatal or serious crashes over the past five years tended to have several factors in common.

For example, a majority of the crashes tended to happen in the months of October and November, when days become noticeably shorter and darker, particularly between the hours of 6-7 a.m. and 5-10 p.m. Many of them also happened at or near bus stops or along bus routes.

Additionally, the majority of the crash locations are on roadways with speed limits of either 40 or 45 miles per hour. Police said the seriousness of a crash victim's injuries can rise exponentially with each mile per hour. For example, the chance of serious injury can increase by 25 percent when going 50 miles per hour, versus 42.

The 11 areas police will be targeting for traffic safety education and enforcement have been identified as:

• Centrewood Drive and Saint Germain Road, Centreville
• Lee Jackson Memorial Highway (Route 50) and Metrotech Drive, Chantilly
• Gallows Road from Arlington Boulevard (Route 50) to I-66, Fairfax
• Leesburg Pike (Route 7) from Patrick Henry Drive to Rio Drive, Falls Church
• Little River Turnpike (Route 236) from Hummer Road to Woodland Road, Annandale
• 7900 block of Heritage Drive, Annandale
• 7500 block of McWhorter Place, Annandale
• Backlick Road and Hechinger Drive, Springfield
• Little River Turnpike (Route 236) from Lincoln Avenue to Beauregard Street, Alexandria
• Lockheed Boulevard from Fordson Avenue to Richmond Highway (Route 1), Alexandria
• The 7900, 8100, 8300, 8600 and 8700 blocks of Richmond Highway (Route 1), Alexandria

"In an effort to increase safety for both pedestrians and drivers, [the Fairfax County Police Department is] participating in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Street Smart traffic safety initiative," authorities announced this week, following the results of the crash study.

Between Monday, Oct. 31 and Sunday, Nov. 27, officers around the county will conduct "traffic safety education and enforcement to remind motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists of their role in keeping our roadways safer."

The officers will pay particular attention to the 11 targeted areas identified above.

As part of the initiative, police are encouraging drivers to slow down and look ahead for pedestrians, particularly near bus stops and residential and shopping areas.

To pedestrians, they suggest, "Be predictable and be seen. Cross only when and where it is permitted, and carry a flashlight or wear reflective clothing to increase your chances of being seen from a greater distance."

For more information, see the Department's website.