Child Struck by Car Near Bethesda School

A child was involved in a pedestrian collision last week on Arlington Road and Edgemoor Lane, near a Montgomery County police spokeswoman said. The incident has sparked debate about child safety on and near busy streets in Bethesda.

Details surrounding the accident remain unclear. A police report was not immediately available. The child wasn't injured, said Officer Rebecca Innocenti, a county police spokeswoman.

Police responded to the scene around 2:42 p.m. Wednesday, Innocenti said.

Following the incident, local officials and the Bethesda Elementary School PTA are looking into ways to increase safety near the busy intersection.

"This accident is extremely troubling. We need all drivers to watch for pedestrians and to take their time," Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center director Ken Hartman wrote in an e-mail to Patch. "Gaining a few seconds in your drive is not worth having someone's death on your conscience. Bethesda is a busy place and having a walkable and safe community is our priority."

Hartman said the county's Department of Transportation is examining the intersection. Montgomery County police have placed a variable message sign near the intersection and the traffic squad "will focus there heavily this month," Hartman wrote.

Bethesda Elementary School parents are discussing ways to increase safety near the intersection, and may advocate for a speed camera, more signage, or a crossing guard, said parent Wendy Leibowitz.

Leibowitz, who lives across Arlington Road from the school and walks her 7-year-old daughter to school, said cars often speed and drive aggressively when turning onto Arlington from Edgemoor.

"If you live on the Metro side, there's no other way to get there than crossing Arlington Road, and it's really terrifying to all of us," Leibowitz said.