I mentioned the engineer because the county said they couldn’t endorse changes (speed limit reduction etc.) unless the traffic was formally studied by an engineer. It doesn’t take a genius to identify the problems, I agree. But by all means, rather than take steps to make that stretch of road safer, let’s instead rely on teaching everyone who drives through Arlington to drive better and call it a day. Good luck with that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s unsafe. Now that kids were hospitalized, hopefully the board will take it more seriously. In addition to widening sidewalks, they need a traffic engineer to figure out how to make it safe for cars to turn onto side streets or outright prohibit certain turns that result in constant problems both for the turning vehicles and pedestrians. To the poster(s) who are so quick to say it’s no different from other areas and it’s just a question if getting people to obey laws and follow rules, are similar concerns being raised about the safety in front of other schools? I’m genuinely curious. I’ve never had kids attending Kenmore, but I frequently drive through there at release time and found it uniquely problematic.

Really? You need someone with a pocket protector to study this? You're the problem with society these days. Learn some personal responsibility and stop expecting others to bubble wrap your kids. Teach idiots how to turn before you give them a license and fine them if they're anything like the 50% of people that don't have the confidence to make a safe and proper left turn. I just saved the county a bunch of money from people like you. You're welcome.

This- no need to study, just go observe what the drivers are doing! They're distracted and some probably do not even have a license.

Anonymous wrote:It’s unsafe. Now that kids were hospitalized, hopefully the board will take it more seriously. In addition to widening sidewalks, they need a traffic engineer to figure out how to make it safe for cars to turn onto side streets or outright prohibit certain turns that result in constant problems both for the turning vehicles and pedestrians. To the poster(s) who are so quick to say it’s no different from other areas and it’s just a question if getting people to obey laws and follow rules, are similar concerns being raised about the safety in front of other schools? I’m genuinely curious. I’ve never had kids attending Kenmore, but I frequently drive through there at release time and found it uniquely problematic.

Really? You need someone with a pocket protector to study this? You're the problem with society these days. Learn some personal responsibility and stop expecting others to bubble wrap your kids. Teach idiots how to turn before you give them a license and fine them if they're anything like the 50% of people that don't have the confidence to make a safe and proper left turn. I just saved the county a bunch of money from people like you. You're welcome.

Anonymous wrote:Btw, I’m PP and I have a child at one of the schools (although she’s not a walker). I just don’t see what the solution is.

More consistent police enforcement of both pedestrians and cars. Not in this situation, but there are often both kids and local adults not using crosswalks, especially bolting across the street to the 7-11. Car speeding, not using turn signals, blind spots, etc. Stick a cop there permanently for a month.

Anonymous wrote:This happened because at least one vehicle ignored road rules. All the rules in the world aren't going to stop distracted and bad drivers.

This

Btw, I’m PP and I have a child at one of the schools (although she’s not a walker). I just don’t see what the solution is.

This was an horrific tragedy. But I don’t understand what can be done to make Carlin Springs safer. You can’t add a strip of grass between the sidewalk and the road without taking away real estate from either the yards or the road. And the speed limit on the stretches of road where the schools are is already 20 MPH in the morning and afternoon when school is starting and letting out. What is it that people want the county to do?

It’s unsafe. Now that kids were hospitalized, hopefully the board will take it more seriously. In addition to widening sidewalks, they need a traffic engineer to figure out how to make it safe for cars to turn onto side streets or outright prohibit certain turns that result in constant problems both for the turning vehicles and pedestrians. To the poster(s) who are so quick to say it’s no different from other areas and it’s just a question if getting people to obey laws and follow rules, are similar concerns being raised about the safety in front of other schools? I’m genuinely curious. I’ve never had kids attending Kenmore, but I frequently drive through there at release time and found it uniquely problematic.

Anonymous wrote:Um, I’ve driven on that stretch during school dismissal time. Kids literally spill over onto the street it’s so crowded with kids. These are kids. And yes, sometimes we have to make and enforce rules that protect them! This is not an impatient pedestrians situation. A car literally flew off the road and pinned a kid in the crosswalk a block from the school. This segment of Carlin Springs Rd is the most dangerously by far for drivers and pedestrians.

1. The sidewalks are very narrow and right up against the curb - no strip between curb and sidewalk. This is the most obvious thing that can be remedied to help alleviate spillage onto the street or even just walking literally the edge of the street.

2. kids should know not to walk in the street and to walk in front and behind of each other. These are middle schoolers. They are old enough to figure that out. But they are middle schoolers and aren't going to care so much.

3. Seems like the recent accident in question happened outside of the usual school hours and arrival/dismissal times. When Kenmore is dismissed, there is a crossing guard at that entrance intersection and she does a good job of ensuring no cars move until the last kid is safely on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, this was a little ways down from that intersection and past the dismissal window. But my point is, during the peak of pedestrian traffic, there is an effective crossing guard.

Anonymous wrote:Um, I’ve driven on that stretch during school dismissal time. Kids literally spill over onto the street it’s so crowded with kids. These are kids. And yes, sometimes we have to make and enforce rules that protect them! This is not an impatient pedestrians situation. A car literally flew off the road and pinned a kid in the crosswalk a block from the school. This segment of Carlin Springs Rd is the most dangerously by far for drivers and pedestrians.

Again, follow the rules and common sense. Don't do the kids are kids when it fits one argument, kids are adults that can go behind their lawful guardians in another argument, and kids should be taught how to be adults in still another. There literally are TWO stoplights in front of the school. If kids can't use them properly to go to 7-Eleven or walk home, then teach them. This is asinine that you would call this a road safety issue and not a kids playing Frogger one.

As for the car that jumped the sidewalk, I'm all for making driver's license exams much harder and retesting everyone every 5 or 10 years but that's a different argument. And putting in jail the many people that drive under the influence, or without a valid driver's license or insurance.

Um, I’ve driven on that stretch during school dismissal time. Kids literally spill over onto the street it’s so crowded with kids. These are kids. And yes, sometimes we have to make and enforce rules that protect them! This is not an impatient pedestrians situation. A car literally flew off the road and pinned a kid in the crosswalk a block from the school. This segment of Carlin Springs Rd is the most dangerously by far for drivers and pedestrians.

Anonymous wrote:This happened because at least one vehicle ignored road rules. All the rules in the world aren't going to stop distracted and bad drivers.

I've driven the stretch from 50 to Columbia Pike (to Rte 7) probably a couple thousand times in the past 10 years. Plus, we've taken the metrobus to/from Kenmore a few dozen times (for sports practices and band rehearsals), having to cross the road at least one time each round trip. As long as people observe the stop lights, cross at the crosswalks when cars are stopped, and stay on the sidewalks, I'm not sure why it's any more dangerous than other busy streets. The impatience that pedestrians have these days in jaywalking, not looking both ways before crossing, and keeping their heads up while walking on the road, is crazy. Jaywalking doesn't seem to be as big a problem but then why is the road considered unsafe for pedestrians? However, for other roads like Wilson/Clarendon and Columbia Pike (Leesburg Pike in Bailey's), people are always crossing the street whenever and wherever they want. We can't keep legislating laws against common sense simply because the population keeps getting dumber. Ticket the jaywalkers.

Anonymous wrote:This happened because at least one vehicle ignored road rules. All the rules in the world aren't going to stop distracted and bad drivers.

And yet nobody who drives that road is surprised that an accident like this happened because that entire stretch of Carlin Springs is an accident waiting to happen. Any car executing a turn either onto or off of Carlin Springs on that stretch when traffic is high knows how edgy it can be. And yes, drivers consistently speed and violate traffic laws right there. There needs to be a fundamental change to the traffic pattern on that stretch of road, and the county should make it a priority. This accident perfectly illustrates why parents feel their children are at risk walking near their school. There’s an ArlNow article detailing what happened.

This happened because at least one vehicle ignored road rules. All the rules in the world aren't going to stop distracted and bad drivers.

A crash on Carlin Springs Rd this afternoon caused a car to land in a crosswalk and strike 2 children. Parents have been begging the county to make this road safer in light of all the students who travel on the crosswalks and sidewalks. Can this maybe obviate the need for an “engineer’s study?” Lower the speed limit and create safer opportunities for cars to safely execute turns. How many kids need to be injured before something is done?