MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) – If it feels like Murfreesboro has way too many pedestrian‑involved crashes, there’s more to that than you might imagine. A recent analysis of national crash data shows Tennessee now ranks #2 in the nation for pedestrian hit‑and‑run incidents based on NHTSA FARS data that was analyzed by Kuzyk Law. That’s not a ranking anyone wants to brag about.
The study, conducted using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, looked at five years of hit‑and‑run data, calculating crashes per million residents and year‑over‑year changes. New Mexico topped the list with a risk score of 62.06 out of 100. Tennessee followed close behind at 45.47 — a number that hits hard when you think about the number of local pedestrian accidents in Murfreesboro.
Not wanting to sweep this shocking information under the rug, but this city is in that awkward growth phase where population, traffic volume, and road design not always being aligned. More people are walking to schools, parks, bus stops, and along the booming commercial corridors — but many of the roads they’re walking along were built decades ago for lower speeds and lighter traffic. Add in multi‑lane arterials like Memorial, Old Fort, Broad, and Rutherford Boulevard, and even a moment of inattention can turn into a call for Murfreesboro Police and Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services (the ambulance)…