Bakersfield, California is the fourth most dangerous city for pedestrians according to Smart Growth America. Appropriately, Jeff Flores, Kern County District Three supervisor, is taking this issue very seriously. There were approximately 181 fatalities between 2018 and 2022, and most of these occurred in lower-income areas.
Smart Growth America listed further disheartening information on pedestrian casualties in Bakersfield. In this city, Union Avenue is particularly dangerous. Assistant vice president of Smart Growth America Steve Davis even stated that Union Avenue is one of the most dangerous streets in the country. Mr. Davis says that this is a national crisis, but everyone is not experiencing it in the same way.
Demographics of Accident Victims
According to Davis, certain segments of the population are at greater risk than others. These include Latino, Native American and black residents who live in low-income locations. These groups lose their lives at twice the rate of Caucasian residents. However, Native Americans are particularly disadvantaged in this area because they are dying at four times the rate of Caucasian residents. Latino residents have a 26% increased risk of being struck and killed by automobiles.
In general, low-income neighborhoods have an increased number of pedestrian deaths in Bakersfield. Now that the problem has come to the attention of people who can do something to make the roads safer, the city decided to install streetlights and sidewalks where developers did not install them before.
What Can Be Done?
Steve Davis of Smart Growth America suggested that the city place speedbumps near crosswalks so that cars will have no choice but to slow down. He also wants to see sidewalks and streetlights where they do not currently exist.
Working Together
Officials noted that the citizens of Bakersfield also have a responsibility to keep the streets of Bakersfield safe for pedestrians. A significant number of walkers have been killed while they were not inside designated crosswalks.
Walking at Night
These accidents also occur a lot in the evening hours. Apparently, nighttime is particularly dangerous for pedestrians, but the city can take several measures to make walking at night safer in Bakersfield. For example, officials can promote policies that will ensure that walking is safe, such as turning the environment into a pedestrian-friendly place that promotes conditions for safe walking.
They can also propose that developers create infrastructure design that ensures safety for people walking at night. The last suggestion of placing additional streetlights is an idea that is being undertaken right now. The city also has plans to make crossing the street safer for pedestrians by placing more flashing beacon crossings on the street’s blocks.
Proactive Measures
In 2023, there were 167 pedestrian accidents in Bakersfield resulting in 19 deaths. Officials have suggestions for how pedestrians can reduce their chances of being run down while walking. For example, making eye contact before crossing the street ensures that the motorist sees you. It is also a smart idea to wear reflective clothing so that you can be easily seen in the dark. Most importantly, try to stay where the lighting is good. This is the best thing anyone can do to keep from being the next fatality on the streets of Bakersfield.
