[Study] The Most Dangerous Areas for Pedestrians in Virginia The Most Dangerous Pedestrian Zones in Virginia

September 6, 2022

Car Accidents

Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users. When struck by motor vehicles, they almost always suffer devastating personal injuries. In Virginia, pedestrian safety is a growing concern. From 2015 through June 2022, over 11,000 pedestrians were struck in the state of Virginia, leaving over 10,000 injured and 848 dead.  The personal injury attorneys with Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp decided to investigate the most dangerous pedestrian zones in Virginia, to analyze some of the root causes of dangerous areas for pedestrians.

Where are pedestrians at the highest risk of being struck? We examined seven years of crash data to find the answer.

Working with data visualization firm, 1Point21 Interactive, we identified 20 areas throughout the state of Virginia where pedestrians are hit both frequently and in close proximity to one another.

Based on pedestrian collision volume, we consider these to be the most dangerous areas for pedestrians in Virginia.

[Interactive Map]

*This map below is interactive. Zoom in to view the pedestrian zones that we identified in our study and hover to reveal more information about them. If viewing on a mobile device, rotate for best experience.

 

The Most Dangerous Places for Pedestrians in Virginia

In general, pedestrian collisions are much more likely to occur at intersections and are much more likely to cause serious injury or death. In fact, 19 percent of pedestrian collisions during the time period resulted in serious injuries or death, compared to just 8 percent of non-pedestrian crashes.

Pedestrian crashes are also much more likely to be alcohol-related. Sixteen percent of pedestrian collisions involved alcohol, while just five percent of all other motor vehicle crashes did.

It is clear that pedestrians are at a higher risk of serious personal injury and death in Virginia than operators of cars or other motor vehicles. From our analysis, the 20 most dangerous areas for pedestrians are scattered across the state. However, eight can be found in Arlington County and six in Richmond.

Rank Zone Name Location Crashes Pedestrians Injured
1 Alexandria Historic District Alexandria 68 75
2 Capitol – Biotech and MCV Districts Richmond 55 56
3 Clarendon Arlington County 52 58
4 Belvidere St Corridor Richmond 44 43
5 Monroe Ward Richmond 37 39
6 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond 34 35
7 Ballston Arlington County 32 31
8 North Rosslyn Arlington County 31 32
9 Caroline Street Corridor Fredericksburg 29 33
10 Shockoe Bottom Richmond 26 26
11 Columbia Pike Corridor Arlington County 24 25
12 Pacific Ave Corridor Virginia Beach 20 20
13 Main St Corridor Blacksburg 19 19
T-14 Shockoe Slip Richmond 18 18
T-14 Crystal City – Richmond Hwy & 23rd St Arlington County 18 20
T-14 Wilson Blvd Corridor Arlington County 18 18
17 Court House Arlington County 16 17
T-18 Ridge St Corridor Charlottesville 15 14
T-18 Columbia Pike & S Four Mile Run Dr. Arlington County 15 15
20 Downtown Roanoke Roanoke 14 14

 

The Ten Most Dangerous Pedestrian Areas in Virginia

Number 1. Alexandria Historic District
Location: Alexandria
68 crashes
75 injuries

Number 2.  Capitol – Biotech and MCV Districts
Location: Richmond
55 crashes
56 injuries

Number 3. Clarendon
Location: Arlington County
52 crashes
58 injuries

Number 4. Belvidere St Corridor
Location: Richmond
44 crashes
43 injuries

Number 5. Monroe Ward
Location: Richmond
47 crashes
39 injuries

Number 6. Virginia Commonwealth University
Location: Richmond
34 crashes
31 injuries

Number 7. Ballston
Location: Arlington County
32 crashes
31 injuries

Number 8. North Rosslyn
Location: Arlington County
31 crashes
32 injures

Number 9. Caroline Street Corridor
Location: Fredericksburg
29 crashes
33 injuries

Number 10. Shockoe Bottom
Location: Richmond
26 crashes
26 injuries

 

Data and Fair Use

Our study examined data from January 1, 2015, through June 30, 2022, from the Virginia Department of Transportation. Our zone analysis grouped pedestrian crashes that occurred within 250 feet of one another.

If you would like to report on or republish the results of this Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp pedestrian danger zone study, please provide attribution by linking to this page.  If you have a question about Virginia laws relating to a pedestrian injury or death, or a specific pedestrian situation, contact our law firm.

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