Bakersfield drivers ranked 3rd worst in America due to accident rates, DUIs, speeding

Have you been cut-off while driving recently, or seen someone run a red light, text while behind the steering wheel, or drive way over the speed limit? If you’re in Bakersfield and answered “yes”, you’re not alone.

Based on accident rates, speeding tickets, DUIs, and citations, Bakersfield ranks third in the nation for bad driver quality, according to a new study by QuoteWizard. That is, Bakersfield ranks third for having the worst drivers in America.

The analysts at QuoteWizard each year review 2 million car insurance quotes from drivers in America’s 70 largest cities to determine which cities have the worst drivers in America, and which have the best. The cities are then evaluated on four factors to determine overall driver quality. Here’s how Bakersfield stacked against those factors:

• Accidents: Bakersfield ranked 11th worst
• Speeding Tickets: Bakersfield ranked 18th worst
• DUIs: Bakersfield ranked 3rd worst
• Citations: Bakersfield ranked 12th worst

Omaha ranked the overall worst, while Riverside ranked 2nd worst. QuoteWizard highlighted a pattern among the cities with the worst drivers. Each of the five worst driving cities also had high numbers of DUIs, while cities that ranked as the five best all had low numbers of speeding tickets and citations. On the opposite end, Birmingham, St. Louis, and Little Rock were ranked at the top, respectively, for having the best drivers in the nation.

Bakersfield appears to be getting worse. The city ranked 13th worst in the 2020 analysis.

“It’s simple: Slow down, always drive sober, and share the road with other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians,” said David Cohn, managing partner at Chain | Cohn | Clark. “Taking these steps are the best ways to make sure that you, and everyone else, make it home safely.”

Last year, WalletHub named California the fourth worst state to drive in the United States based on 31 factors including cost of ownership and maintenance, traffic and infrastructure, safety, and access to vehicles and maintenance. California was found to have the highest percentage of rush hour traffic congestion, the second highest average gas prices, and the fifth highest car theft rate, according to WalletHub.

Insurance experts say the saturation of bad drivers on roadways has the ability to affect how much you pay for car insurance each month. Living in one of the worst driving cities can see your insurance rates go up, while living in one of the best driving cities can help you save money on your auto insurance.

Chain | Cohn | Clark provides a few driving tips below to help you eliminate distracted driving, reduce traffic violations, and keep Kern County roadways as safe as possible:

• Keep your cell phone on silent, and put in a place where you won’t be able to access it while driving.
• Be aware of your surroundings and what other drivers around you are doing.
• If you’re too tired to drive, find a place to stop so you can get rest before driving again.
• If you need to eat and drink, make sure that you pull over to the side of the road.
• Make sure that loose items in your car are secured so that they don’t startle you if they fall.
• Never drive a vehicle if you’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Make sure that you have a driver who has not consumed alcohol, or use a service like Lyft or Uber who will be able to take you back to your home safely.

Lastly, if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, follow these three steps:

1) Obtain the name, address, insurance information, vehicle identification number (VIN) and driver’s license number of any and all persons involved in the accident, as well as the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all witnesses.

2) Make sure that a report is filed with the police, sheriff, or highway patrol, but do not talk to anyone else, especially insurance adjusters, about the accident or sign anything without first consulting an attorney. Chain | Cohn | Clark offers a free consultation.

3) Seek medical attention immediately and explain to your physician or surgeon all of the symptoms and complaints you have been feeling since the accident occurred.

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If you or someone you know is injured in an accident at the fault of someone else, or injured on the job no matter whose fault it is, contact the attorneys at our Bakersfield law firm by calling (661) 323-4000.