Thomas Warren, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – Fairfax County saw a 26 percent increase in reported bike crashes last year, according to county records.
There were 106 crashes in 2012, and 84 crashes in 2011. The most accidents occurred in the summer months of June and August, with each accounting for 15. There were 13 reported crashes in September.
The county is working to compile a complete breakdown of the police districts where each accident happened. According to the records of the 15 accidents involving bikes in January and February of 2012, bicyclists were determined to be at fault in seven of them. Of those seven incidents, only one biker was given a citation. The offense was riding on the wrong side of the road.
The county is currently developing a countywide bicycle master plan that would determine what they could do to make the county more bicycle-friendly.
The first phase of the plan included a study of the Tysons Corner area, the City of Falls Church, and areas near the Washington &Old Dominion Trail. The study was completed in May of 2011.
Officials are currently working on phase two, which consists of redevelopment, and installing bicycle sharing infrastructure. That portion of the plan is expected to be completed in 2016.
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