Ten of the thirteen people aboard a Nashville pedal tavern were injured Thursday night when a distracted driver rear-ended them on Demonbreun Street. The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. when a westbound Toyota RAV4 struck the rolling bar bike. By Friday morning, six victims were still hospitalized, one in critical condition. The RAV4 driver and the pedal tavern operator were not hurt.
Police say the RAV4 driver reported being distracted, though investigators haven’t determined what took his attention. Metro Nashville police are reviewing video recorded aboard the pedal tavern and will consult the district attorney on possible charges. The tavern’s co-owners released a statement saying safety has been central to their sixteen years of operation and that they were deeply saddened by what happened.
Pedal taverns are a fixture of Nashville tourism, but the same dynamic plays out here in our beach communities every day: bikes, scooters, pedestrians, and cars sharing the same pavement. Whether it’s Gulf Drive on Anna Maria or the crush of season traffic on Longboat Key, attention behind the wheel is the one variable that makes the difference between a fun night out and a hospital visit. What’s your rule for keeping your eyes on the road when your phone buzzes?
