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According to the Alexandria Police Department, there were 184 vehicle/pedestrian crashes in Alexandria from 2017 to 2019, and these crashes seriously injured 20 pedestrians & killed eight pedestrians; and Pedestrian collisions at 20mph kill one in 10, but at 40mph kill 9 in 10, according to the Federal Highway Administration & National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; and Distracted driving due to smartphone use causes an increasing number of pedestrian collisions; and the shift away from passenger cars to SUVs and light trucks leads to more injuries in pedestrian crashes; and Vehicle/pedestrian crashes in Alexandria are more likely to occur during the fall and winter months…

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“… We urge Alexandria to prioritize speed management as the key tenet to Vision Zero and a safe systems approach because it is more effective at deterring dangerous driving than enforcement and less likely to be a tool for racial injustice. Silence could be interpreted as acquiescing to vehicle violence and racial inequities. We are speaking out and advocating for action.” Take a look at our full statement on racial justice as it applies to traffic enforcement in the Alexandria Gazette Packet and the Alexandria Times.…

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Did you know that distracted driving accounts for more than 30% of vehicle crashes? On July 8, Virginia strengthened its driver safety laws by banning hand-held cellphone use while driving. We are now a handsfree state!  AFSS was honored to attend the virtual bill signing today held by Governor Northam, and to have helped advocate for the new law, which takes effect January 1, 2021.  Congratulations to the bills sponsors, Janet Brookings of Drive Smart Virginia, and Senators Scott Surovell and Jeff Bourne, for making our streets safer with a very important piece of legislation!  …

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Virginia law now requires drivers to stop for pedestrians instead of just yielding. Drivers, you must come to a full stop for pedestrians in any marked and unmarked crosswalks, and remain stopped until the pedestrian passes your lane. When a vehicle is stopped at a crosswalk, the driver of any other approaching vehicle may not pass the stopped vehicle  For more information, click here…