.svg){kind=logo}
New Data Reveals a Safety Gap in Virginia School Zones
New traffic study reveals a consistent pattern: drivers failing to stop and yield near schools.
Study brought to you by:
.png){kind=spacer}
.png){kind=logo}
.png){kind=logo}
THE METHODOLOGY
What we did
A group of traffic safety experts dedicated to curbing reckless driving got together to study driver behavior at 167 intersections and crosswalks in 20 VA municipalities for 30 minutes at a time during school hours.
.svg)
75%
of drivers ran a stop sign
1 in 7
pedestrians faced a driver who failed to yield
286/hr
peak violations observed, 1 every 15 seconds
Same risk, every community.
Every pink pin is a place where vulnerable road users cross.
20
Municipalities studied
167
Intersections Studied
Municipality Violation Rate
High
Medium
Low
.svg)
Charlottesville
Intersections Studied
13
Number of nearby schools
5
-
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
84.9%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
.svg)
Richmond
Intersections Studied
17
Number of nearby schools
11
12.50%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
26.8%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Newport News
Intersections Studied
5
Number of nearby schools
4
0%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
0%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Leesburg
Intersections Studied
9
Number of nearby schools
5
-
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
82.8%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Manassas
Intersections Studied
8
Number of nearby schools
4
0%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
67.3%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Hampton
Intersections Studied
3
Number of nearby schools
3
0%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
-
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Norfolk
Intersections Studied
4
Number of nearby schools
4
-
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
70%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
.svg)
Chantilly
Intersections Studied
1
Number of nearby schools
1
-
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
-
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Fairfax
Intersections Studied
15
Number of nearby schools
5
52.20%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
27.2%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Woodbridge
Intersections Studied
3
Number of nearby schools
1
0%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
0%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Chesapeake
Intersections Studied
23
Number of nearby schools
15
27.90%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
69.4%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
.svg)
Burke
Intersections Studied
1
Number of nearby schools
0
46.00%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
0%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Vienna
Intersections Studied
4
Number of nearby schools
2
-
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
75.8%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Virginia Beach
Intersections Studied
15
Number of nearby schools
11
0%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
31.1%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Alexandria
Intersections Studied
20
Number of nearby schools
9
16.60%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
83%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Greenbriar
Intersections Studied
2
Number of nearby schools
1
-
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
96.9%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Ashburn
Intersections Studied
2
Number of nearby schools
2
-
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
64.4%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Arlington
Intersections Studied
5
Number of nearby schools
3
9.80%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
62.4%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Falls Church
Intersections Studied
11
Number of nearby schools
4
-
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
78.1%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Reston
Intersections Studied
6
Number of nearby schools
5
2.90%
Aggregate
Crosswalk Violation Rate
81.4%
Aggregate
Stop Sign Violation Rate
Municipality Violation Rate
High
Medium
Low
.svg){kind=icon}
Failure to stop is the norm, not the exception
Nationally, 40% of fatal crashes occur at intersections controlled by stop signs. On average more than 66% of drivers ran them in the communities we studied.
83%
Highest stop sign violation
Summary of violation
40%
fatal crashes
66%
Drivers
.png)
.svg){kind=icon}
Where children should be safe, drivers fail to yield
Failure to yield and right-of-way infractions account for 7.9% of all fatal crashes reported to the NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
52.2%
Peak failure-to-yield rate
Summary of violation
15%
Avg failure-to-yield
.png)
.svg)
Stop Sign Violations
Failure to stop is the norm, not the exception
Nationally, 40% of fatal crashes occur at intersections controlled by stop signs. On average more than 66% of drivers ran them in the communities we studied.
83%
Highest stop sign violation
Summary of violation
40%
fatal crashes
66%
Drivers
Crosswalk Violations
Where children should be safe, drivers fail to yield
Failure to yield and right-of-way infractions account for 7.9% of all fatal crashes reported to the NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
52.2%
Peak failure-to-yield rate
Summary of violation
15%
Avg failure-to-yield
Every one of these numbers is a driver who chose not to stop, where our kids walk to school. A driver hit me in a crosswalk, and it changed my family's life forever. It's happening all across Virginia, and we owe it to every kid to make our streets safer.”
.png)
Mike Doyle
Founder and Executive Director of Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS)
.png)
%20(1).png)
This is a problem we can fix
The behavior is predictable. That's why it can be changed.
Drivers routinely fail to stop or yield at these locations, in part because they've rarely carried a consequence. A new VA Pedestrian Safety Law went into effect on July 1, 2026, enabling us to address this problem directly. Now it's on us to act.
How we fix this
Effective July 1, 2026 Virginia has a new Pedestrian Safety Law (SB84) that makes it one of the first states in the country to permit automated enforcement at stop signs and crosswalks in and around school zones. The exact places this study identified as presenting the highest risk.
It carries clear requirements for signage, transparency, privacy and the use of revenue. And it gives communities a real, practical tool aimed squarely at unsafe driving behavior.
It carries clear requirements for signage, transparency, privacy and the use of revenue. And it gives communities a real, practical tool aimed squarely at unsafe driving behavior.
.png)
CASE STUDY
It actually works.
After passing similar legislation, Maryland measured a significant drop in dangerous driving.
.svg)
We’re seeing that automated pedestrian safety programs change dangerous driving behavior. That makes our roads safer and saves lives.”
.png)
Wanika Fisher
Prince George’s County Council member
Fewer violations are just the start. We’re making preventable bad endings go away; crashes, injuries, and deaths."
Dan Franklin
Chief of Police, Morningside, MD
MD had new school zone stop sign programs up and running within days, with results that came fast and keep improving.”
.png)
John Seng
Founder and Chair, SafeRoads, MD
70%
reduction in unsafe driving behavior within 4 months
13 municipalities across Maryland are already seeing safer streets for their citizens
%201.png)
%201.png)
%201.png)
%202.png)
%201.png)
%201.png)
Add Your Street Corner or School to this Study
At no cost see what’s really happening at the crossings that raise concerns in your community.
Build your program
Schedule a hands on working session with our team of experts.
Request a legal consultation
Meet with one of our legislative experts to understand the new law and what your community can do next.
Protect your school zones today
A no-cost study, the full dataset, or an SB 84 working session.
.svg){kind=logo}
© 2024-2026 All rights reserved. Obvio Inc.