Saturday, January 16, 2016
Map of NoVa Ped/Bike Crashes 2012-2015
Clusters of bike crashes occurred along major roads such as Routes 1, 7, 50, 123 (especially in Vienna), 236, and 237. Several crashes occurred in the Merrifield area, including two pedestrian fatalities, highlighting the importance of providing good bike and ped facilities in a rapidly growing area round the Dunn Loring Metro station.
Only one bicycle fatality is shown, on Columbia Pike, where Elizabeth Shattuck was killed. Not shown was the location where Andrew Gooden was killed on Sunrise Valley Drive in Herndon which occurred on August 31, 2015.
The data were also used to create a heat map.
From the news release:
NVRC Releases Regional Map of Bike/Pedestrian Injuries & Fatalities
The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) has released an online map indicating the location of bike and pedestrian injuries, fatalities and property damage throughout the region for calendar years 2012 through mid-November 2015. In total there were 3238 incidents that either led to an injury, property damage or fatality. Specifically, there were 3116 injuries, 95 fatalities and 27 instances of property damage. The data for the maps was provided by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
“The purpose of this map is to not only demonstrate to our residents hot spots in the region where these accidents occurred, but to make everyone aware we all share in the responsibility for pedestrian and bike safety” said Debbie Spiliotopoulos, NVRC Senior Environmental Planner. “We urge our residents to visit our web site www.sharevaroads.org which provides common sense advice on the rules of the road to ensure safety.”
View the map with each incident plotted. View a heat map of the region plotting these incidents.
The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) has released an online map indicating the location of bike and pedestrian injuries, fatalities and property damage throughout the region for calendar years 2012 through mid-November 2015. In total there were 3238 incidents that either led to an injury, property damage or fatality. Specifically, there were 3116 injuries, 95 fatalities and 27 instances of property damage. The data for the maps was provided by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
“The purpose of this map is to not only demonstrate to our residents hot spots in the region where these accidents occurred, but to make everyone aware we all share in the responsibility for pedestrian and bike safety” said Debbie Spiliotopoulos, NVRC Senior Environmental Planner. “We urge our residents to visit our web site www.sharevaroads.org which provides common sense advice on the rules of the road to ensure safety.”
View the map with each incident plotted. View a heat map of the region plotting these incidents.
Labels: andrew gooden, bike crash, crashes, elizabeth shattuck
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Article on Fairfax bike crashes and county bike plan
See the Lorton Patch article Vehicle, Bicycle Collisions Up in Fairfax County: Officials hopeful bicycle master plan will make roads safer for Fairfax County cyclists:
Accidents between vehicles and bicycles in Fairfax County are happening more frequently this year.
There have been 54 collisions between vehicles and bicycles this year with one fatality, up from 44 accidents between bicyclists and vehicles with no fatalities in 2011.
On Nov. 12, Elizabeth P. Shattuck, 58, of Falls Church, was hit by a pickup truck. Police pronounced her dead at the scene, marking the first Fairfax County death resulting from a bicycle-versus-vehicle collision in two years. The incident is still under investigation, and charges have yet to be filed.
Greg Billing, a spokesman for the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, said there are an increasing number of people taking to the roads on bicycles across the region.
“We’re definitely seeing an increase in crashes between vehicles and cyclists as more people are getting into cycling,” Billing said. “Enforcement is a huge issue across the region and there are a lot of motorists out there that are distracted and speeding and don’t see the cyclists on the roads.”
Update: See the ABC7 report on increased crashes in Fairfax. Floyd Alveraz of Spokes, Etc. in Vienna was interviewed. He sums up the situation well: "We're all trying to get somewhere and we all have different ways to get there, but we all need to share the road."There have been 54 collisions between vehicles and bicycles this year with one fatality, up from 44 accidents between bicyclists and vehicles with no fatalities in 2011.
On Nov. 12, Elizabeth P. Shattuck, 58, of Falls Church, was hit by a pickup truck. Police pronounced her dead at the scene, marking the first Fairfax County death resulting from a bicycle-versus-vehicle collision in two years. The incident is still under investigation, and charges have yet to be filed.
Greg Billing, a spokesman for the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, said there are an increasing number of people taking to the roads on bicycles across the region.
“We’re definitely seeing an increase in crashes between vehicles and cyclists as more people are getting into cycling,” Billing said. “Enforcement is a huge issue across the region and there are a lot of motorists out there that are distracted and speeding and don’t see the cyclists on the roads.”
Labels: bike crash, elizabeth shattuck, greg billing
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Ghost bike placed at site of recent bicycle fatality
At this location Colubmia Pike is a high speed arterial with no bike facilities. There are service roads on either side of the main road but at this intersection there is no crosswalk or traffic control device to assist anyone trying to cross the Pike to reach the shopping center. The speed limit appears to be 45 mph. The crash occurred at around 2pm. Sight distance should not have been a problem, and the motorist should have been able to see the cyclist. Since police are seeking eyewitnesses, there were likely no witnesses at the scene. The motorist has not been charged.
This is the first bicycle fatality in Fairfax County this year.Elizabeth is memorialized at the website Every Bicyclist Counts, which was established in May of this year by the League of American Bicyclists. For more information on Every Bicyclist Counts see the LAB blog. Our condolences go out to Elizabeth's family.
Labels: elizabeth shattuck, Fairfax County, fatality
