Local
10 hospitalized after car strikes Pedal Tavern on Nashville’s Demonbreun Street
A driver who told police his radio distracted him rear-ended a Pedal Tavern carrying 13 people on Demonbreun Street. Ten riders were taken to hospitals, and all were expected to survive, city officials said.
Ten of the 13 people riding a Pedal Tavern were taken to hospitals after a car rear-ended the vehicle on Demonbreun Street in Nashville, police said. The crash happened before Oct. 23, 2026, when the incident was reported; all of the injured riders were expected to survive.
The driver told police that his radio had distracted him before the collision. The crash renewed attention to safety in the busy downtown tourism corridor, where pedal-powered bars, scooters and party buses share streets with other traffic.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell said Nashville reviews pedal-tavern operations and limits how many are allowed on the road at one time. He also said a state law restricting the city’s ability to close streets in a tourism development zone has stalled some safety projects.
The city has worked with state partners on regulations for pedal taverns and other commercial vehicles, O’Connell said, but it cannot control individual drivers’ attention. He said he was encouraged that the injured riders were reported to be stable.
The owners of Nashville Pedal Tavern said they were deeply saddened by the crash and that safety has been a priority during the company’s 16 years in business.
Rider Mary Bach said the possibility of a collision had crossed her mind while traveling on the road. Other riders said they remained willing to take part, while urging motorists to stay alert amid downtown nightlife traffic.