Nashville could ban right turns on red in urban areas to reduce deadly crashes

www.newschannel5.com ^ | August 03, 2026 | Patsy Montesinos

[Red Badger]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville drivers could soon face new restrictions at red lights across much of the city. Metro Council is weighing a proposal that would ban most right turns on red within the Urban Services District as part of a broader effort to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries.

District 16 Council Member Ginny Welsch, one of the bill's sponsors, said Nashville's roads have become increasingly dangerous.

"We know overall that the streets of Nashville are extremely dangerous. For the past several years, we've had over 100 people killed on our roads," Welsch said.

The bill is led by Council Member Sandra Sepulveda and co-sponsored by Welsch and others. It is part of Nashville's Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries.

"So this is just one tool in our toolbox to implement Vision Zero, the goal of which is to eliminate all pedestrian deaths, all deaths on the street," Welsch said.

Welsch said driver behavior at red lights is a key factor behind the push for the ban.

"We know a lot of people are injured because of right turn on red. We know that people don't stop on right turns on red. They kind of roll through the stop," Welsch said.

Some residents say the change would make them feel safer. Jen Swanlund, a nurse who lives in the area, said the current rules create dangerous situations for people on foot.

"I don't think it's a bad idea with the way the traffic is around here and how many accidents there are. It might be good if it was just one rule and nobody had to worry about when they could turn," Swanlund said.

Swanlund said she has experienced close calls while walking home.

"Well, I have a lot of days where I'm walking home, and somebody almost hits me because they don't look both ways and they turn on red because they were only looking for oncoming traffic," Swanlund said.

Others expressed concerns off camera that the ban could create more traffic delays and confusion for drivers. Welsch pushed back on those concerns, pointing to intersections where similar restrictions are already in place.

"We have seen that this small thing has really had a positive impact on keeping people alive on the streets," Welsch said.

The bill receives its first reading at Metro Council on Tuesday. If approved, the new rules would take effect 150 days after the ordinance is enacted.

Under the proposal, the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure would install "No Turn on Red" signs at signalized intersections throughout the Urban Services District. Transportation officials could still permit right turns on red at certain intersections following an engineering and safety study. Emergency vehicles responding to emergencies would be exempt from the ban.

The city would also launch a public education campaign before full enforcement begins. During the first 90 days after implementation, Metro Council is requesting that officers issue warnings in most cases unless a violation contributes to a crash or creates an immediate danger to another roadway user.

Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@NewsChannel5.com

[hanamizu]

California was the first state to legalize right-on-red in 1939

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Grew up and learned to drive in SoCal, so right-on-red is the norm for me. But you are supposed to come to a full stop, not the infamous California rolling stop.

[oldtech]

I live on a street corner where there is a stop sign & it is a dead end; you must turn one way or other. We don’t really have many accidents there, but you’d be surprised how many do not stop fully at the stop sign either. Occasionally, you might see a police car stationed near the intersection. I guess the lack of a lot of traffic (even tho it is a major street) is the only saving circumstance.

[oldtech]

I live on a street corner where there is a stop sign & it is a dead end; you must turn one way or other. We don’t really have many accidents there, but you’d be surprised how many do not stop fully at the stop sign either. Occasionally, you might see a police car stationed near the intersection. I guess the lack of a lot of traffic (even tho it is a major street) is the only saving circumstance.

[wardaddy]

Nashville has a crazed leftist mayor
Same as all of them since Boner
Liberals all

[wardaddy]

Young people today don’t look
They think crosswalks are guaranteed entitlement zones

Then toss in baked campers we euphemistically call campers

They get hit

[wardaddy]

It’s still a great vibrant boomtown

But crappy govt past 35 years

Yes sports fans Phil Bredesen was a liberal too as mayor and raised property taxes markedly

This new mayor thinks we’re Boulder or Austin

Our liberal demographics is blacks , other identity minorities and young women and older Karens and trad elite white libs

I know two offhand

Ate lunch with one yesterday on white bridge rd

I asked him criticism free what does he read or watch

Mediaite
NYT
The Hill
WashPo

I asked if he knew who David Brooks was

He didn’t
I refrained critiquing as promised

Lefties always and I mean always bring up politics

They can’t help it but man are they ever poorly informed always always always

And this guy is a Vandy law grad and family money 25-50M

It’s pointless

He’s dad was a yellow dog

He’s just a dem

PCUSA elder or deacon too whatever they call it

Oh well

[weezel]

Thats what I thought, for years. Then I got into an online argument about it, and looked it up. The person on the right does not have the right of way, they actually expect traffic to play ring around the rosy and keep up with who’s turn it is.