‘We’re as bad as it gets’: Report ranks Bakersfield the 4th most dangerous area for pedestrians

"It seems like almost every week there's a new story of a pedestrian fatality involving a hit-and-run," attorney Matt Clark said. A study by Smart Growth America has ranked Bakersfield as the fourth most dangerous metro area for pedestrians, according to attorney Matt Clark of Chain, Cohn & Clark. The analysis revealed that 1,316 crashes involved pedestrians from 2012 to 2023, with 14% resulting in fatalities, were caused by drunk driving and impaired driving. Most of these accidents occurred in downtown and east Bakersfields. Clark highlighted the need for addressing hit-and-run incidents, particularly which have not yet been found. Estella Andino was killed in a hit-in-run last month, and her daughter encouraged people not to give up fighting against the issue.

نشرت : قبل 10 شهور بواسطة Mikhala Armstrong في Auto

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — It seems to happen every week, a pedestrian’s life lost at the hands of a driver. In Bakersfield, the numbers say just that.

“For drunk driving and impaired driving, we’re as bad as it gets,” said attorney Matt Clark of Chain, Cohn & Clark. “For pedestrian accidents we’re nearly as bad as it gets.”

“It’s depressing really, and it suggest that we have a systemic problem in our community when it comes to safety on our roadways,” said Clark.

According to a study by Smart Growth America, Bakersfield is the fourth most dangerous metro area for pedestrians. Law firm Chain, Cohn, & Clark conducted its own analysis and found 1,316 crashes involved pedestrians in Bakersfield from 2012 to 2023, 14% resulted in fatalities, and most of the accidents took place in the downtown and east Bakersfield areas. A majority of them happening between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Clark said it is a problem that must be addressed, particularly hit-and-runs.

California now has a mascot that encourages road safety

“It seems like almost every week there’s a new story of a pedestrian fatality involving a hit-and-run,” he said. “That is a tragedy for any family that has lost a loved one. … It’s even more tragic when it’s a hit-and-run and they haven’t found the actual person that caused the wreck.”

Estella Andino, 45, was killed in a hit-in-run last month on Ming Avenue at P Street.

Her daughter, Jesmin Andino Stevens, said there were no sidewalks or streetlights where her mother was hit.

“If somebody was paying attention, if you weren’t speeding if you weren’t doing things like that, you could see if someone was there,” said Stevens.

The mother and daughter celebrated reconnecting days before her death, and said the driver took everything from her.

Non-profit removes gardens at apartment in Oildale to help residents avoid eviction

“She won’t get to know who I am. I won’t get to know who she is, and the person who hit her took that from me and took that from my son,” said Stevens. She encourages anyone suffering the same loss to keep fighting before this problem continues to take more lives.

“As long as you continue to keep going and you don’t give up, that’s the best thing that you can do,” Stevens said. “When I feel like you accept defeat like they’re never going to be found, then they truly get to win. They got away with it.”

For more on the study by Smart Growth America go here, for more on the study by Chain, Cohn, & Clark go here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.

Read at original source