To the Editor:
I am writing with concerns about the intersection of Stringfellow Road and Chantilly High School. I transport my daughter to work at the Kindercare child care center daily and have seen and had near misses with high school kids as they try to cross the road not at the crosswalk or with the crossing guard. When the light stops traffic, parents allow kids to jump out of the cars and dash across the street. Kids that are walking up Stringfellow from the area of the library don't wait to walk up to the light and crossing guard and they too dart across the road.
When it is foggy or overcast the kids are harder to see. One morning last school year I came out of the parking lot of Kindercare to turn left on Stringfellow towards Route 50. All lanes were full of stopped cars and as I got the green light and proceeded to make the turn 2 young ladies stepped off of the curb in the middle of the road and as I came around the turn at a slow rate of speed and without being able to see them for the traffic I had to slam on my brakes to not hit them. They were visibly shaken as was I, I came within inches of hitting them.
I've talked with the school and they tell me that because the students have not yet stepped onto school property there is nothing they can do. The crossing guard told me she has witnessed at least one student get hit by a car. This is a very scary situation and I hope there is something that can be done to fix it before we have a child get badly hurt or worse.
Lori Whetzel
Chantilly Estates