News Events Street Smart

Vea este sitio en español.Street Smart is a public safety campaign of Metro, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. To stream WUSA9 on your phone, you need the WUSA9 app. Example video title will go here for this video Example video title will go here for this video WASHINGTON — With warmer temperatures comes more people outside, causing drivers to have more interactions with pedestrians and bicyclists on streets, sidewalks, bike lanes and crosswalks. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) says this is a critical time of year to make sure the streets are safe for everyone.

While the D.C. region saw a small decrease in pedestrian and bicyclist deaths in 2024, 102 pedestrians and eight bicyclists were killed by drivers. The COG says those deaths account for more than 30% of total traffic deaths in the region. Street Smart aims to reduce pedestrian and cyclist deaths with an innovative VR campaign. A Chevrolet Camaro at the Springfield Town Center in Fairfax County on Sunday allowed visitors to test their skills as safe drivers. The mobile exhibit is part of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' (COG) Street Smart campaign to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety.

Kelvin Ford of Street Smart explains that the immersive VR experience interactively educates people of all ages about traffic safety. Participants put on a VR headset and virtually navigate local streets, keeping an eye out for pedestrians and cyclists. Many visitors who tried the simulation described it as entertaining, but also challenging. One participant described the experience as “insanely fun” and “not easy.” Another noted that there were more blind spots than expected. The simulation was also designed to raise awareness of looking left and right at intersections. According to the COG, 115 pedestrians and cyclists were killed by vehicles in the Washington metropolitan area last year.

Pedestrians and bicyclists account for more than 30 percent of all traffic fatalities in the region. People walking and biking in the Washington region cross paths with cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles every day. Since 2002, the Street Smart program has worked to raise awareness about pedestrian and bicycle safety and highlight enforcement of the laws that protect people walking and biking. The connection that we had—that takes a lifetime to find.” The Street Smart program is sponsored by Metro, the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, and is supported by many vital partners committed to pedestrian and bicycle safety in the Washington region. Local cities, counties, police departments, nonprofit organizations, and transit authorities all work together to make our region a safer place for people walking and biking.

Vea este sitio en español.Street Smart is a public safety campaign of Metro, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. October 29, 2024 at 11am Naylor Road Metrorail Station 3101 Branch Ave Temple Hills, MD 20748 April 21, 2024 at 11am Springfield Town Center 6500 Springfield Mall Springfield, VA April 25, 2024, 2–5pm Navy Yard 1200 Half St SE Washington, DC May 11, 2024 at 10am Montgomery County Public Schools 850 Hungerford Dr Rockville, MD Wednesday, October 25th at 11:00am Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro Station’sNorth Parking Lot 9493 Virginia Center Blvd Vienna, VA 22181

Since 2002, The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' Street Smart program has worked to protect vulnerable road users by raising awareness about pedestrian and bicycle safety. The region-wide public safety campaign educates drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists on about safe use of roadways in the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia. The campaign integrates several components, including broadcast and outdoor advertising, media relations, digital media, and outreach events. It is meant to complement, not replace, the efforts of state and local governments and agencies to build safer streets and sidewalks, enforce laws, and train better drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. In 2022, the U.S. experienced the most deaths from pedestrian crashes in more than 40 years.

Sources: 1 2 3 Pedestrians and bicyclists made up nearly 31 percent of the 358 traffic fatalities in the Washington region in 2024. Street Smart's public awareness efforts are conducted in conjunction with increased law enforcement "waves," in which police put an added emphasis on enforcing their presence and the existing laws regarding roadway safety. This multi-pronged strategy that has been shown to compound public safety campaign results and positively affect behavior.

People Also Search

• News & Events - Street Smart
• Officials unveil new Slow Down, Life Ahead safety campaign - News ...
• Street Smart campaign launches to address pedestrian safety in DC region
• Street Smart Wins "Best Use of an Intelligent Transportation System" at ...
• Street Smart: Using VR simulation to combat traffic accidents
• PDF Street Smart Fall 2024 - News Release
• Street Smart campaign's virtual reality experience challenges people to ...
• Street Smart
• Past Events | Street Smart
• About - Street Smart