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Video shows the 17-year-old's 2018 BMW M3 come careening across opposite lanes of traffic around 11:40 a.m. Monday, May 1. The officer jumps out of the way right in the knick of time, but the BMW slammed the other vehicle pulled over in the traffic stop, and the officer's patrol car.
The driver was apparently speeding northbound on the parkway when he failed to negotiate a curve and lost control.
Seeing the impending collision, the officer was able to get clear of the crash site moments before the BMW came smashing into the other vehicle, also striking his police cruiser.
An adult driver of the second BMW 750 Series was taken to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries before he was released. The officer also reported minor injuries, as did the teen driver and two passengers.
The teen - who was not identified by the police - was charged with reckless driving.
Officials said that year-to-date, they have seen an alarming increase in reckless teen driving, having issued 62 percent more citations for teens speeding, 98 percent more violations of signs or signals, and a staggering 181 percent increase in drivers failing to pay full attention, “which is often associated with a crash,” they noted.
“It’s miraculous that we’re not talking under very different circumstances. It really, really is,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said. “By all accounts, this should have resulted in a much, much worse outcome than it did.”
So far in 2023, there have been eight victims of fatal crashes in Fairfax County, three of which were caused by teen drivers, prompting the department to encourage parents to talk to their children about the responsibility of getting behind the wheel.
“The Fairfax County Police Department is relieved that this crash did not result in a tragedy,” they said. “This is an important reminder that life can change in an instant. It is the driver’s responsibility to drive safely and arrive safely.
“Parents and guardians should consider using this video as an opportunity to have a conversation with their teen drivers about how their driving behavior can affect the lives of others.”
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