By Angela Woolsey
Published May 28, 2026 at 3:05PM
More than 60 pedestrians and cyclists have been killed or seriously injured in crashes on Richmond Highway over the past decade — and conditions appear to be worsening instead of improving, a new analysis says.
Skimpy lighting and crossings, along with alcohol intoxication, appear to be driving factors behind the frequent serious crashes that occur in the approximately 14-mile corridor from the Alexandria border down to the Occoquan River south of Lorton, according to Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS).
“The Richmond Highway corridor is a concentrated and consistent pedestrian safety crisis,” the volunteer-led advocacy group said. “These crashes are not randomly distributed — they cluster in predictable locations shaped by inadequate lighting, incomplete crosswalk infrastructure, alcohol exposure, and high pedestrian activity among vulnerable populations.”
Released this morning (Thursday), the report compiled by NoVA FSS with the help of college students specializing in data analysis identified and evaluated 62 fatal or serious-injury crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists that were reported in the Richmond Highway corridor from 2017 through 2025.
Two more pedestrians have been killed in crashes on Richmond Highway so far this year. Both involved alcohol, though speed and distracted driving were also tagged as contributing factors in the earlier Jan. 7 crash, according to Virginia Department of Transportation data.
During the study period of 2017-2025, alcohol was a factor in 47% of all fatal and serious-injury crashes on Richmond Highway, including 41% of all fatalities. The prevalence of alcohol has increased post-Covid, jumping from 35% of crashes to 51% since 2020, NoVA FSS reported.
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