Distracted Driving More Than Critical
Nearly four years ago, a friend of Councilmember Sheila Olem's son was killed by a distracted driver.
"His good friend Kyle was pushing his disabled vehicle off the road and he was hit by a distracted driver," said Olem. "There was no law and there is now."
Kyle, his friends, and his family "had to pay the ultimate price to let people know how dangerous distracted driving is," she said, "and, because of Kyle, [the law] finally passed the Virginia legislature."
"Surely, the driver who killed him will never come to complete grips with that," said Olem.
The Herndon Town Council passed a proclamation Tuesday, April 14, naming the month of April Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
"We will support the Herndon Police Department about raising awareness of distracted driving," said Vice Mayor Jennifer Baker.
"It's that reminder. We all know better," said Baker. "When driving a vehicle, it should be the only thing you do."
Texting and driving increases the risk of a crash by 23 times, according to the National Highway Administration. In 2012, 421,000 people were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver; 3,328 were killed.
Texting and driving is "one of the most dangerous things you can do while you're driving," said Sergeant Robert Galpin, during Herndon's Town Council meeting April 14.
Distracted driving is anything that takes your mind and eyes off the road.
Eight out of 10 crashes in Virginia are related to distracted driving incidents, he said. "A quick look away can cause a serious crash."
"Please don't text and drive. Even if you don't get caught, it's not worth the risk. You can destroy a family," said Olem.
Sacrificing Hoops for the Environment
The Fairfax County Park Authority sacrificed a flooded vandalized basketball court for better stream valley restoration.
The basketball court at Sugarland Run Stream Valley Park has “fallen into disrepair as a result of frequent flooding and is no longer usable," according to Fairfax County Planning And Zoning Documents.
The court was built in the 1970s at a time when building impervious in floodplains wasn't as uncommon as it would be today, said Gail Hoover.
The Park Authority asked to remove the court since there are better courts nearby. The Park Authority will restore the area to its natural condition and improve existing stream valley trails, which will improve the environmental condition of the site, said Hoover at a public hearing before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 7.
"We thank the HOA for being reasonable about losing its basketball court and thank the park authority for agreeing to fix the stream valley trail which is very much appreciated," said Supervisor John Foust.