MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A focused traffic enforcement special conducted earlier this month by the Murfreesboro Police Department (MPD) is drawing attention to persistent and dangerous driving behaviors across the city, while also highlighting how enforcement priorities have shifted over time throughout Rutherford County.
Details released Friday show MPD’s Traffic Unit conducted a high-visibility enforcement operation along South Church Street on January 13, resulting in 112 total citations. Dash-camera footage documented 29 drivers running red lights, making signal violations the most common and concerning offense observed during the operation.
Officers also cited motorists for speeding (20), driving without a license (7), hands-free law violations (14), seat belt violations (5), improper following (4), lack of insurance (9), failure to yield (1), and other violations (23). On top of the tickets, officers also wrote a total of thirteen warnings to motorists.
Among the most alarming incidents captured on video was a concrete mixer truck barreling through an intersection, forcing other drivers to swerve to avoid a collision. In another case, a motorist ran a red light while positioned directly beside two unmarked patrol vehicles.
Reports from past enforcement efforts show that red-light violations remain one of the leading causes of serious injury and fatal crashes, noting that the January operation demonstrated how quickly reckless decisions can place the public at risk.
How the Latest Operation Stands Out - While Rutherford County has seen a wide range of traffic enforcement efforts over the years — from sobriety checkpoints to interstate saturation patrols — the January 2026 operation stood out for its concentrated focus on intersection safety and the volume of red-light violations recorded in a single corridor.
Unlike checkpoint operations that often uncover impaired driving or licensing issues, this enforcement highlighted real-time driving behavior in heavily traveled urban intersections, using dash-camera evidence to document violations as they occurred.
A Look Back at Enforcement Trends - Past operations show how enforcement strategies have adapted to emerging safety concerns:
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October 2025: MPD traffic officers focused on school bus safety, stopping drivers for illegally passing stopped buses with stop arms deployed — a violation that directly endangers children.
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During a multi-agency sobriety checkpoint conducted on December 12, 2025, law enforcement officers checked 342 drivers over a two-hour period on Rutherford Boulevard to ensure they were not impaired. Only five drivers were arrested for driving under the influence, representing approximately 1.4 percent of the motorists who passed through the holiday checkpoint.
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2024 Sobriety Checkpoints on Rutherford Boulevard and Sam Ridley Parkway, conducted with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the MPD, Smyrna Police, the Sheriff's Department and multiple local agencies, resulted in DUI arrests, drug possession charges, and hands-free law violations.
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Operation “Summertime Blues” (2023) targeted aggressive and distracted driving along Interstate 24, with speeding, cell-phone use, and seat-belt violations leading citation totals.
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Hands-free enforcement events (2023) produced more than 200 citations in a single day, reflecting growing concern over distracted driving.
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Operation Fall Brakes (2022) and Valentine’s Day enforcement efforts highlighted persistent speeding and phone-use violations.
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Earlier red-light enforcement initiatives (2020) revealed similar patterns of drivers accelerating through intersections rather than stopping, prompting repeated education and enforcement campaigns.
Many of these operations were coordinated through the Rutherford County Traffic Safety Task Force, which brings together municipal police departments, sheriff’s deputies, and state agencies to address countywide traffic safety concerns.
What Has Remained Consistent - Across multiple years and operations, law enforcement officials have documented several trends that persist:
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Red-light running and speeding remain constant threats.
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Distracted driving, particularly cell-phone use, continues to rise.
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Multi-agency operations yield broader enforcement coverage and increased public awareness.
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High-visibility patrols often reduce crashes during enforcement windows.
When reviewing traffic enforcement operations conducted in years paste, a consistent and concerning message emerges: despite sustained education efforts and repeated enforcement campaigns, a segment of drivers continues to disregard basic traffic controls. Law enforcement officials say those ongoing violations — including red-light running, speeding, and distracted driving — continue to place motorists, pedestrians, and first responders at serious risk.
Moving Forward – Drivers will likely see the traffic enforcement specials continue to be served with a side of citations throughout 2026, with a focus on changing behavior rather than issuing citations for revenue. Officers urge motorists to obey traffic signals, slow down, remain hands-free, and recognize that a single violation can have life-altering consequences.
