Fairfax Families for Safe Streets

2 pedestrians crashed into by driver turning left - Near Miss app sited as a way to report dangerous locations

https://www.wusa9.com/article/traffic/video-shows-two-people-hit-by-driver-while-in-crosswalk-in-virginia/65-44e50a57-fdeb-4fca-9e85-c28ed3cccb50

NOVA Families for Safe Streets – Lives Depend on You

Advanced automatic braking systems to be standard on new cars by 2029

Beginning in 2029, federal traffic regulators will require new cars to have systems that can avoid crashes with other vehicles and pedestrians, even at high speeds, saving hundreds of lives per year.

By Ian Duncan

https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2024/04/29/automatic-brakes-nhtsa-rule/

NBC Washington's Julie Carey covers the recent installation of a speed camera on Blake Lane, and discusses the progress of safe streets initiatives on the corridor with Fairfax FSS's Chris French:

Speed camera installed near site of 2022 fatal high school pedestrian crash A speed camera in Fairfax County has been installed blocks away from the site of a deadly 2022 pedestrian crash. Three Oakton High School students were on Blake Lane on June 7, 2022, when a teen driving 81 mph in a 35 mph zone struck and killed two girls in ninth grade. The third student was serious...

Thanks to you we achieved our goal!
We are so grateful to all our supporters and donors who contributed to our campaign yesterday! We were able to raise $10,545 in total. This will help expand our educational outreach and advocacy programs and we couldn't do it without your help so thank you again!

Spring2ACTion is coming on April 24th! Please consider giving today to help us in our critical mission for improving street safety.

https://www.spring2action.org/organizations/alexandria-families-for-safe-streets

NOVA Families for Safe Streets – Lives Depend on You

A distracted driver can be as dangerous as a drunk driver. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

Fairfax Families for Safe Streets joined 17 partner partner organizations of the Fairfax Healthy Communities Network (https://www.fairfaxhealthy.org/) in the submission of comments on Fairfax County’s FY25 advertised budget. The complete package of FHC budget comments is linked below, however, highlights of the Sustainable Transportation comments included requests to...

1) Provide a dedicated funding stream for active transportation projects
2) Fund the Safe Streets for All Program
3) Ensure our streets are safe and accessible for non-motor vehicle users

In addition, we support critical investments in transit, including the proposed additional $10 million for WMATA operating funding and the proposed increase of $2.15 million for Fairfax Connector bus service.

Chairman Jeff McKay
Sully Supervisor Kathy Smith
Supervisor James Walkinshaw
Dranesville District - Supervisor Jimmy Bierman
Supervisor Rodney Lusk
Supervisor Walter Alcorn
Mason District - Supervisor Andres Jimenez
Supervisor Dan Storck
Providence Supervisor Dalia Palchik
Supervisor Pat Herrity

https://novasafestreets.org/2024/04/16/fairfax-fss-submits-fy25-budget-recommendations/

novasafestreets.org

This week our hearts are with the families of Gabriela, Leeyan, and Katya as they endure the trial of Usmah Shahid, charged with manslaughter after choosing to driving more than 80mph in a 35 mph zone, losing control of his vehicle, and striking and killing Gabriela and Leeyan, and seriously injuring Katya as they walked home from Oakton High School on June 7th, 2022. We grieve this tragedy with their families, and send our support.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Do you know it’s illegal to hold a phone while driving in Virginia? Do you know texting while driving increases your likelihood of being involved in a crash by 23 times!

Spring2ACTion is now open for early giving! The official day is April 24th but our website is now ready to accept donations! Please consider giving today to help us in our critical mission for improving street safety.

https://www.spring2action.org/organizations/alexandria-families-for-safe-streets

We're pleased to learn that there may be a few improvements implemented this spring. Much, much, more is needed, but quick, incremental change is a vital part of the solution. Check out this article from Mount Vernon On the MoVe

Recent Route 1 pedestrian fatalities prompt safety improvements | Mount Vernon on the MoVe A new signalized crosswalk and possibly an additional streetlight are in the works along Richmond Highway.

Thanks Fairfax County Health Department! We couldn't agree more.

Pedestrian safety isn’t just a transportation problem, it's a public health concern. Learn more about the problem and how pedestrians, motorists, and others can make things safer: https://bit.ly/3GdvfC4

If you missed it last week, please check out this excellent piece from NBC News about the factors involved in the increasing rate of pedestrian fatalities, and what can be done to reverse that trend.

What's driving the surge in pedestrian deaths on roadways across the U.S. The White House will spend $44.5 million in grants to the Department of Transportation to make roads safer for pedestrians as part of a push to stop the increase in pedestrian deaths. NBC News' Sam Brock reports on what is driving the surge in the deaths across the U.S.

According to this report, Fairfax County Police Department may not staff nine Vienna crossing guard locations at the start of the 2024-2025 school year, even though no apparent plan is in place for their replacement. Further, one Fort Belvoir crossing guard and one Town of Herndon crossing guard will also not be covered by Fairfax County Police next school year.

Rates of distracted driving and speeding are continuing to increasing, and crashes that cause serious injuries to pedestrians continue to rise in Fairfax County year over year. This hardly seems like the time to pull back on protections for our children as they walk and bike to school.

FCPD removes crossing guards for Herndon, Fort Belvoir and potentially Vienna schools | FFXnow FCPD removes crossing guards for Herndon, Fort Belvoir and potentially Vienna schools Angela Woolsey March 20, 2024 at 10:15am A crossing for Cunningham Park Elementary School in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey) Schools in Vienna, Herndon and Fort Belvoir have or are at risk of losing their cr...

Show your support for Fairfax County Transportation newly updated bike parking guidelines! Check out our Action&Advocacy page for more details!

https://novasafestreets.org/fairfax-fss-action-advocacy/

Show your support for FCDOT’s newly updated bike parking guidelines! Use the link in our bio and choose to “Take Action” ->

Avoid unnecessary risks this St Patrick's Day!

Don't drink and drive,
Get a designated sober driver,
Plan ahead,

Luck favors the prepared!!!

Even luck has limits!

St. Patrick’s Day is on a Sunday this year. Last year, when the holiday landed on a Friday, 93 crashes resulted in 4 deaths and 45 injuries due to drinking and driving during St. Patrick’s Day weekend. DMV’s Highway Safety Office encourages you to share these resources within your community to help everyone celebrate responsibly.

https://gmmb.app.box.com/s/kzka6bash0hhxudzgtb5goizbn0jzswe

Two more tragic fatalities in Fairfax County on 3/10/2024. One involved a man hit by a driver while he was outside of his car, changing a tire, along I-495 just to the east of the Telegraph Road exit. A second fatality, also the morning of 3/10 and also just east of the same exit, involved a woman hit and killed by a person driving on I-495. Current reporting on the circumstances around the second fatality are unclear at this time. These are the 5th and 6th pedestrian fatalities in Fairfax County, to date, in 2024.

Early this AM a person driving a stolen car hit and killed a man walking on Janna Lee Ave near Tamarind St in the Rt 1 corridor.

This is the 3rd driver to hit and kill a pedestrian along the corridor in the last 4 weeks. It is the fourth ped fatality in to date in 2024

Early this morning (3/10/24) a person driving a stolen car hit killed a man walking on Janna Lee Avenue near Tamarind Street in the Route 1 corridor. It was a hit-and-run and the driver has not yet been located.

This is the third driver to hit and kill a pedestrian along Richmond Highway in the last 3 and a half weeks. The previous crashes were 2/15/2024 and 2/18/2024.

Earlier this year in January, a woman hit by a driver in late December 2024 succumbed to her injuries. Including this fatality, there have been 4 pedestrian fatalities in Fairfax County to date in 2024.

Did you miss our March Newsletter? Its not too late! Check it out, and use the link at the end to subscribe so you don't miss out.

March Fairfax Safe Streets News Automated Speed Enforcement (Speed Cameras) - Unfortunately, Delegate Holly Seibold’s bill, which would have allowed for the use of speed cameras in high-risk pedestrian crash corridors, was combined with several other speed camera bills in the House and killed in the House “Innovations” Trans...

Check out Mason District - Supervisor Andres Jimenez op-ed in the Patch about how Fairfax County can better address pedestrian safety. 👏👏👏
https://patch.com/virginia/fallschurch/op-ed-pedestrian-safety-accessibility-cant-be-afterthought

We appreciate the the focus Mason District - Supervisor Andres Jimenez has brought to pedestrian safety for the residents of his district, as well as those of us who will come to visit.

Whether you're a Mason district resident or not, this op-ed likely applies to you.

Op-Ed: Pedestrian Safety, Accessibility Can't Be An Afterthought As pedestrian-related traffic fatalities increase, Mason District supervisor calls on Board of Supervisors to prioritize pedestrian safety.

Do you live in the Mason District? Come on out and meet Mason District - Supervisor Andres Jimenez

See you there!

Yesterday evening (2/18/24) a person driving killed a man walking along Richmond Highway (Route 1). It was a hit-and-run. The driver was later found and arrested.

People driving have killed two pedestrians in Fairfax County to date in 2024, with both crashes happening on Richmond Highway. The previous crash was 2/15/2024.

Every year people driving kill, on average, 2 or 3 people walking in the Route 1 corridor. Unfortunately, it appears 2024 will be no different.

Yesterday a person driving killed a man walking at Richmond Highway (Route 1) and Huntington Avenue. Since 2015, drivers have killed 22 people walking along Richmond Highway, seriously injured 36 others, and drivers crashed into another 54 people, leaving them with visible injuries. This does not include about 20 cyclists who have been hit and injured, some severely, over this same period of time. Nor does it include additional pedestrian fatalities or injuries that occurred along the corridor, but on nearby neighborhood streets.

We desperately state and local action, and desperately need an open and honest dialogue with local leaders, state leaders, FCDOT, and VDOT about what can be done to protect people who are dying on our streets while simply trying to live and work in Fairfax County. The tools are available. We just need the will to act.

Supervisor Dan Storck
Supervisor Rodney Lusk
Chairman Jeff McKay
VDOT NOVA District
Fairfax County Transportation
Paul Krizek for Virginia
Rozia "J.R." Henson
Mark Sickles
Scott A. Surovell