Where do the most car crashes happen in Nashville?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Close to 20,000 car crashes have been reported in the Nashville and Davidson County area since the beginning of last year.
While there are many streets and intersections that residents might consider “dangerous,” data on traffic accidents reported to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) shows there are some spots that are worse than others.
Nashville drivers have the worst commute in the U.S., study finds
The majority of crashes are reported on interstates that run through Nashville like I-40 and I-24, followed by Briley Parkway. However, when looking at roads in the area, there are 10 intersections where the most car crashes have occurred since Jan. 1, 2023.
In fact, half of those intersections are along the same street. According to the MNPD’s data, 230 crashes have been reported on Murfreesboro Pike alone. In an interview with News 2, District 32 Councilwoman Joy Styles explained that “these have been bad intersections for years.”
Three of the five worst intersections on Murfreesboro Pike are located in Styles’ district, where she said, “Between the drag racers and just the configurations of some of those intersections and how wide they are, it makes for a nightmare.”
NDOT teams up with city leaders to enhance road safety measures
Murfreesboro Pike has also been identified as a problem area in studies on pedestrian involved crashes, prompting city leaders and Nashville’s Department of Transportation (NDOT) to look for ways to eliminate traffic fatalities in an effort known as “Vision Zero”.
Styles said she has been in conversations with NDOT, and while she’s still waiting to see what their plans for Murfreesboro Pike are, she did confirm that they are actively working on solutions, adding that she’s “very supportive” of NDOT’s work.
The infrastructure of those intersections can seem like an invitation for drivers to make more dangerous lane changes and wider turns, but Styles said part of the problem also comes down to drivers speeding through the area.
NDOT names worst Nashville roads for speeding
“The request really is for people to slow down, because this is happening not because the city is failing to do something, but because drivers are failing to slow down,” she said. “There’s no reason to be going down Murfreesboro Road at 75, 85 miles an hour. That is ridiculous.”
According to the MNPD’s analysis of 2023 crash data, unsafe lane changes, speeding and failure to yield were the top contributing factors in car crashes. Below is a list of the top 10 intersections where the most car crashes have been reported in Nashville and Davidson County.
Murfreesboro Pike and Mountain Springs Road
Located in Antioch, the intersection of Murfreesboro Pike and Mountain Springs Road is the area with the most crashes reported over the past year. According to the MNPD’s data, there have been 61 crashes reported in the area since Jan. 1, 2023. Nearly 88%, or 54, of those crashes have resulted in injuries.
Murfreesboro Pike and Bell Road
Just 2.4 miles down the road from the area with the most crashes in Nashville, the intersection of Murfreesboro Pike and Bell Road comes in at second. Since last year, data shows police have received 51 reports of car crashes in the area, with 27 resulting in injuries.
2 critically injured in crash at Murfreesboro Pike intersection
Murfreesboro Pike and Hobson Pike
Also on Murfreesboro Pike, and only 0.2 miles from the area with the most crashes, the intersection of Hobson Pike has had the third most crashes since last year. Data shows there have been 47 crashes in the area, with 28 resulting in injuries.
Lebanon Pike and Andrew Jackson Parkway
There have also been a large number of crashes at the intersection of Lebanon Pike and Andrew Jackson Parkway over the past year, putting the area as the fourth worst spot for car accidents. MNPD’s data shows 36 accidents have been reported in the area located within Hermitage, and 29 of those crashes have resulted in injuries.
Clarksville Pike and Buena Vista Pike
The intersection of Clarksville Pike and Buena Vista Pike appears to have just as many problems as Lebanon Pike and Andrew Jackson Parkway, with another 36 crashes reported in the area since Jan. 1, 2023, and 15 resulting in injuries. The intersection is located in the Bordeaux area.
2 Rutherford County men arrested for involvement in ‘Wet & Wild’ street racing event in Nashville
Murfreesboro Pike and Rural Hill Road
Located just 0.2 miles away from another problem spot on Murfreesboro Pike, the MNPD’s data shows another 36 crashes have been reported at the intersection of Murfreesboro Pike and Rural Hill Road over the past year, with 17 resulting in injuries.
Hamilton Church Road and Murfreesboro Pike
As the last of five seemingly dangerous spots along Murfreesboro Pike, there have also been a large number of crash reports at the intersection at Hamilton Church Road. Based on the data, a total of 35 car crashes have been reported in the area, with all but five of those crashes resulting in injuries.
Bell Road and Cane Ridge Road
Since Jan. 1, 2023, there have been 33 car crashes reported at the intersection of Bell Road and Cane Ridge Road, with 16 resulting in injuries. The intersection is located in a busy area near the Global Mall at the Crossings in Antioch.
Pedestrian hit, killed on Bell Road in Antioch
Old Hickory Boulevard and Nolensville Pike
Located just west of Antioch, the intersection of Old Hickory Boulevard and Nolensville Pike appears to be another problem area. The MNPD’s data shows there have been 32 crashes reported in the area over the last year, with 25 resulting in injuries.
Nolensville Pike and Harding Place
Just south of the Nashville Zoo, the intersection of Nolensville Pike and Harding Place has had the 10th most car crashes since the beginning of last year. According to the data, there have been a total of 31 crashes reported in the area, with 12 resulting in injuries.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
