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The most dangerous crash-prone streets in Northern Virginia
A new report is highlighting some of Northern Virginia’s most dangerous streets in an effort to raise awareness about traffic safety for both pedestrians and drivers. FOX 5's Nana-Sentuo Bonsu has all the details.
ARLINGTON, Va. - A new report is highlighting some of Northern Virginia’s most dangerous streets in an effort to raise awareness about traffic safety for both pedestrians and drivers.
One of the streets identified in the report is Wilson Blvd, where pedestrians often face "close calls." Earlier in the day, residents of other areas listed in the survey shared their thoughts on the situation.
"I play chicken here," said Parker Canada, who lives in Ballston. "You have to lean out and walk to make sure no car is coming."
Another Arlington resident added, "I’m kind of looking at the driver, trying to make eye contact to make sure they see me."
Pedestrians in the Virginia Square neighborhood also expressed concerns, saying they use extra caution when crossing the street. North Quincy Street was identified as one of Arlington’s most dangerous areas for "near misses" involving pedestrians, according to a survey by Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets.
"We’re trying to capture real-time information about where danger still exists," said Mike Doyle, founder of Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets. "We take this information to the transportation and street design people, the police, and use it in our advocacy with politicians."
The survey collected data from Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax between January 2023 and June 2024. It found that the top three locations for near-miss crashes involving speeding or failure to yield were Beulah Street in Fairfax, Wilson Blvd in Arlington, and Mt. Vernon in Alexandria.
Other areas like Columbia Pike and Duke Street didn’t make the list due to challenges in getting underserved communities to participate in the survey, which Doyle says is crucial for preventing crashes. He pointed out that Richmond Hwy South is a known "crash zone."
Last week, FOX 5 covered a fatal hit-and-run on Richmond Highway near Woodlawn Trail, which left one man dead. While local transportation departments are working to improve traffic safety by reducing speed limits, Doyle emphasized that a community-wide effort is needed.
"Slow it down, be a little courteous, and we can save lives," Doyle said.
Canada agreed, urging drivers to be more attentive. "Stay off the phone, look out for pedestrians, especially at night," he said.
Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets divided the summary report into three regions:
Check out the Near Miss and Dangerous Locations Dashboard here.