Fairfax County police have issued more than 3,800 citations and warnings to drivers since mid-September as part of a countywide enforcement campaign targeting right-turn violations at crosswalks, including in the McLean area.

The Fairfax County Police Department said on X on Tuesday, Oct. 13, that Operation Safe Right Turn has also put more than 48,000 safety flyers into the hands of residents since the campaign launched Sept. 14. The department said enforcement would continue.

The operation focuses on drivers who turn right on green lights without yielding to pedestrians, bicyclists and scooter riders in crosswalks. Under Virginia law, pedestrians in crosswalks have the right-of-way over turning vehicles, even when the light is green. Officers from the FCPD Traffic Division and patrol districts across the county are conducting the enforcement.

Lt. Ian Yost of the Fairfax County Police Department told WTOP in September that the problem often starts with drivers fixating on the traffic signal. "They see green and they just think natural green means go," Yost said. "They're just not keeping their eyes up and scanning ahead as they're approaching the right turn."

Yost also noted that e-bikes and scooters can approach intersections faster than pedestrians, giving drivers less time to react. He advised pedestrians to make eye contact with drivers before stepping into a crosswalk.

The campaign's first week alone produced 1,151 citations and warnings and roughly 5,600 flyers distributed, according to an FCPD news release on Sept. 23. The totals more than tripled over the following three weeks.

Fifteen pedestrians had been killed in Fairfax County through late September, FFXnow reported. That reporting also cited an analysis by Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets that found failure to yield is the top issue reported by pedestrians and cyclists on Fairfax roads.

The FCPD urged drivers to check mirrors and blind spots before every right turn. The department also advised pedestrians and cyclists to stay visible and watch for turning vehicles, even when they have the walk signal.

Residents can report non-emergency traffic concerns to Fairfax County police at 703-691-2131.