Bakersfield, CA was recently ranked the third deadliest metropolitan area in the United States for pedestrians by Smart Growth America.
The nonprofit ranked the most dangerous cities for pedestrians via a per capita pedestrian fatality rate (deaths per 100,000 people).
The Bakersfield-Delano, CA metropolitan area saw 5.01 pedestrian deaths per year per 100,000 people from 2020 through 2024, with 382 total pedestrian fatalities happening there from 2015 through 2024.
This is not a new problem, since the Bakersfield metro area has appeared in previous editions of the nonprofit’s Dangerous by Design report.
Call our experienced Bakersfield pedestrian accident lawyers today for a FREE consultation at (661) 371-3588 or contact us if you or a loved one was injured or killed in a pedestrian accident in Bakersfield. We can help you seek financial compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, wrongful death and more, and we will charge you no legal fee until we win your case.
Bakersfield Pedestrian Safety Report: Key Takeaways
- The Bakersfield-Delano metropolitan area was ranked the third deadliest metropolitan area for pedestrians in the United States by Smart Growth America’s Dangerous by Design 2026 report.
- 382 pedestrians died on the metropolitan area’s dangerous roads from 2015 through 2024.
- Wide, high-speed arterial roads which are built for vehicle throughput rather than pedestrian safety drive much of the risk for pedestrians in the metropolitan area.
- Older adults, low-income residents and communities with limited access to vehicles face disproportionate danger.
Table of Contents
- What Did the 2026 Dangerous by Design Report Find About Bakersfield?
- Why Does Bakersfield Keep Ranking Among the Most Dangerous Cities for Pedestrians?
- Which Bakersfield Roads Have the Highest Rate of Pedestrian Crashes?
- Which Bakersfield Intersections Have the Most Pedestrian Crashes?
- Who Is Most at Risk of Being Struck While Walking in Bakersfield?
- What Are the Legal Duties of Drivers and Pedestrians in California?
- When to Contact a Bakersfield Pedestrian Accident Attorney
What Did the 2026 Dangerous by Design Report Find About Bakersfield?
The report ranked Bakersfield-Delano as the third most dangerous metropolitan area for pedestrians in the United States, behind only Memphis and Albuquerque.
The cities were ranked via the average annual pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 from 2020 through 2024.
One of the key findings of the report is that pedestrian fatalities are becoming a growing issue over time. 7,080 people were hit by vehicles and killed while walking in the United States in 2024, a number which represents 72 percent more fatalities than what was seen in 2009, according to the report.
California, despite its reputation for progressive transportation policy, ranked the eighth most dangerous state for pedestrians in the report. The state had a rate of 2.82 annual pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 people from 2020 through 2024, experiencing 10,227 pedestrian deaths from 2015 through 2024.
New Mexico was ranked the most dangerous state for pedestrians, with a rate of 4.42 annual pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 people.
Bakersfield has appeared in this report’s rankings multiple times.
Why Does Bakersfield Keep Ranking Among the Most Dangerous Cities for Pedestrians?
Bakersfield’s road network was designed for car-centric growth. It has not kept pace with the needs of pedestrians.
Many neighborhoods with residents who do not own or drive cars feature wide, high-speed arterial roads.
The city features numerous sprawling, wide roads, known as “stroads,” which are essentially blends of streets and highways. These roads are designed for rapid car movement. However, they lack proper protections for pedestrians. Their wide intersections force pedestrians to cross vast areas of pavement, increasing the time they spend in the path of moving vehicles.
Many of the city’s busy multi-lane roads have long distances between controlled crosswalks. This encourages people to jaywalk.
The city struggles with high rates of impaired driving, which significantly increases the chances of drivers failing to yield or spot people walking.
The city’s traffic engineering staffing has remained largely flat over the last two decades while the city’s population has been growing significantly.
The Bakersfield Police Department told KBAK FOX58 that pedestrian accidents have been and are a big problem in the city. The police said that the areas with the most pedestrian accidents include locations with large populations of transient people, as well as Union Avenue.
Many lower-income areas and parts of the city with large transient populations have a lack of adequate street lighting and crosswalks.
The city has recently invested in pedestrian safety. The Bakersfield City Council recently approved an over $14 million contract for improvement in the city’s H Street corridor, according to KGET. The project seeks to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety, enhance aesthetics, implement traffic calming elements and more.
Which Bakersfield Roads Have the Highest Rate of Pedestrian Crashes?
Certain corridors account for a disproportionate share of pedestrian crashes in Bakersfield, including:
- Union Avenue between 21st Street and Brundage Lane
- Wible Road between Stockdale Highway and White Lane
- New Stine Road between Stockdale Highway and White Lane
- Ming Avenue between Gosford Road and Hughes Lane
These are not remote highways. These are everyday routes which connect residents with grocery stores, bus stops, schools and medical appointments.
Accidents on these corridors often happen at night, at poorly lit or unmarked crossings without safe pedestrian alternatives.
Which Bakersfield Intersections Have the Most Pedestrian Crashes?
The intersections in Bakersfield with the most pedestrian accidents within 250 feet of the accident from 2014 through 2023, according to California Highway Patrol data, were:
- Eureka St and Union Ave, 16 accidents
- 18th St and Union Ave, 14 accidents
- 8th St and Union Ave, 14 accidents
- Ming Ave and Stine Rd, 11 accidents
- Baker St and California Ave, 10 accidents
- 17th St and Union Ave, 9 accidents
- 19th St and Union Ave, 9 accidents
- 34th St and Q St, 9 accidents
- 9th St and Union Ave, 8 accidents
- Chester Ave and Wall St, 7 accidents
Who Is Most at Risk of Being Struck While Walking in Bakersfield?
Older adults, low-income residents and racial minorities die at disproportionately high rates in pedestrian accidents in the United States.
Adults over the age of 65 are 18 percent of the population. However, they account for 23 percent of pedestrian fatalities.
Low-income residents who depend heavily on walking as their primary transportation die at disproportionately high rates in pedestrian accidents. Census tracts with average incomes ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 see more than four times as many pedestrian fatalities than areas with median incomes over $1 million, according to Smart Growth America’s Dangerous by Design 2024 report.
Communities living near high-speed arterial roads have less access to protected crossings and adequate lighting.
The corridors where pedestrian accidents occur in Bakersfield tend to run through neighborhoods with low car ownership rates and high rates of dependence on public transportation.
78 percent of pedestrian deaths occur in the dark, according to the City of Bakersfield.
What Are the Legal Duties of Drivers and Pedestrians in California?
California law requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks. It also requires drivers to use reasonable care to avoid collisions.
California Vehicle Code Section 21950 requires drivers to reduce their speed or take other necessary action to protect the safety of pedestrians.
Pedestrians also have a duty to use reasonable care to avoid collisions. They may not suddenly enter roadways into the paths of oncoming vehicles.
Liability in pedestrian accidents often depends upon which party failed to use reasonable care.
Hit and run cases are common in pedestrian accidents. Uninsured motorist coverage may provide pedestrian accident victims with a path to financial compensation when a driver cannot be identified.
When to Contact a Bakersfield Pedestrian Accident Attorney
Call us today for a FREE consultation at (661) 371-3588 or contact us if you or a loved one was injured or killed in a Bakersfield pedestrian accident.
We have been representing pedestrian accident victims for over 35 years, we can help you seek financial compensation for your injuries and we will charge you no legal fee until we win your case.
Call us today.
