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A resolution urging the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department to make recommendations and take actions to improve traffic enforcement and the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure to enhance the physical environment for everyone using the road.
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WHEREAS, speeding and dangerous driving are serious concerns for Nashvillians with fatalities related to traffic accidents increasing nearly 75% over a five-year period, from 80 in 2018 to 139 in 2023; and
WHEREAS, Vision Zero is an international strategy to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on Nashville roads and is implemented in Nashville and Davidson County by the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure ("NDOT") to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on Nashville roads; and
WHEREAS, Vision Zero focuses on the five Es - Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Evaluation, and Enforcement; and
WHEREAS, the first E, Engineering, means improving the physical environment for traffic, including vehicles, walking, and biking; and
WHEREAS, the fifth E, Enforcement, cannot be overlooked and is essential to the success of Vision Zero and the safety of all Nashvillians on our streets; and
WHEREAS, enforcement is critical essential for producing supporting safe and responsible and responsible behaviors on the road and building respect among road users through partnerships with community groups and law enforcement; and
WHEREAS, engineering can be improved through the planning, policy, design, deployment, operations, and maintenance of transportation capital projects and traffic control devices; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department ("MNPD") is charged with enforcing moving violations, however, traffic stops by MNPD dropped from 200,546 in 2018 to 29,516 in 2023, a reduction of over 85%. However, critiques of racially biased traffic stops as well as a focus on more efficient uses of police resources with the i...
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