Fairfax County police launch operation amid uptick in pedestrian crashes
Fairfax County Crossing Guard Cuts
BURKE, Va. - Fairfax County police launched a new operation to target drivers who make right turns into crosswalks amid an uptick in pedestrian crashes.
What we know:
It comes after a child on a bicycle was struck and killed by a truck at an intersection in Fairfax. It was the fourth accident of its kind to occur in the county in September.
Police said Operation Safe Right Turn began on Monday, following a concerning trend involving drivers turning through crosswalks without checking for pedestrians, bicyclists and scooter riders.
On Thursday, a child on a bike was struck at the intersection of Burke Road and Burke Lake Drive near Lake Braddock Secondary School. The child is okay after suffering minor injuries.
It came after back-to-back incidents across the county, including a fatal incident near Frost Middle School. In that case, a driver struck a 13-year-old student on Pickett Road near a shopping center.
Officers said two other incidents occurred on the same day: an 11-year-old girl’s e-scooter was hit by a vehicle turning into a school parking lot in Chantilly, and a 13-year-old on a bike was struck by a car and taken to a hospital.
READ MORE | 13-year-old killed after being struck by truck while riding bike in Northern Virginia
What they're saying:
Police said their goal with Operation Safe Right Turn is awareness and education.
"We just like to get out there and talk to the drivers," said Lt. Ian Yost with the Fairfax County Police Department. "It doesn't always end in a citation."
Officers said the big concern is not right on red; it's right on green, where drivers proceed without checking, as pedestrians have the right of way.
The fine for a violation of failing to yield to a pedestrian starts at $50.
The Source: Information in this article is from Fairfax County police.