Bakersfield to Host 11th Walk Like MADD + MADD Dash 5K, Presented by Chain Cohn Clark and Valley Strong

Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s signature event to help us raise awareness and funds to eliminate drunk and drugged driving returns to Bakersfield on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Park at River Walk.

The 11th Bakersfield Walk Like MADD and MADD Dash 5K — presented by Law Office of Chain | Cohn | Clark and Valley Strong Credit Union — aims to raise funds for MADD Kern County educational programs, help innocent victims of DUI crashes, and help raise awareness of the impaired driving problem in our community. Since 2014, the event has raised more than $600,000 .

WALK LIKE MADD + MADD DASH

The 5K walk and run event is Kern County’s chance to do something about drunk and drugged driving in our community. In what has become one of the largest fundraising walks and runs in town, the event brings together people from our community – surviving victims of crashes, families and friends of injured and deceased victims, law enforcement, prosecutors, first responders, advocates, and community leaders and members – to march, rally and run for the cause. Participants can sign up as a walker or 5K runner, help gather donations, or volunteer.

The Walk Like MADD and MADD Dash has three main components:

• Remember: Walk and run for those who no longer can and alongside those who are learning to walk again.
• Inspire: Walk and run empowered even when we feel powerless, as survivors when we have been victimized, and with purpose when we have lost our way.
• Commit: Walk and run with supporters who share our vision of “No More Victims.”

In addition to raising funds, the Walk Like MADD is also time to celebrate the lives of those who have been lost to or impacted by impaired driving. Many participants carry photos of loved ones who have been killed. Others wear MADD shirts or hats with the names of victims on them.

“Every step we take is a step towards a future where no family has to endure the heartbreak of losing a loved one to impaired driving,” said Matt Clark, managing partner and attorney at Chain | Cohn | Clark. “We walk and run not just for those we’ve lost, but for the lives we can save through our unwavering commitment to end this preventable tragedy.”

Since 2021, nearly 1,000,000 victims have been served. MADD Victim Services is no cost to victims and survivors, and helps survivors with the following:

• Providing emotional support
• Guidance through the criminal and civil justice systems
• Accompanying victims and survivors to court
• Helping prepare a victim impact statement.
• Referring victims and survivors to appropriate resources for additional help.
• Offering support groups.
• Connecting victims and survivors who’ve had similar experiences.
• Providing supportive materials on victimization topics.

In addition to presenting sponsors Chain | Cohn | Clark and Valley Strong Credit Union, the event is also sponsored this year by Bakersfield Police Department Traffic Division, Bakersfield Police Officers Association, Courts & Greens, Eagle Mountain Casino, Kern County Prosecutors Association, Punjabi Golf Association Bakersfield, Rain for Rent, Salty’s BBQ & Catering, Amerivet, Janaway Publishing Inc., Kern Family Healthcare, and Mission Bank.

For more information, and to register, go to walklikemadd.org/bakersfield. Kern County’s local phone number for victims is 661-493-8200. The 24-hour hotline is 877-MADD-HELP.

KERN COUNTY’S IMPAIRED DRIVING PROBLEM

Kern County is among the deadliest in the nation when it comes to DUI crimes. Our state data shows Kern County show the following when it comes to alcohol-related crashes in 2023:

• Total Crashes: 550
• Total Victims: 41 Killed and 769 Injured
• Pedestrian Involved: 33 (6%)
• Bike Involved: 7 (1.3%)
• Motorcycle Involved: 33 (6%)

As for alcohol involved crashes in Bakersfield in 2023:

• • Total Crashes: 204
  • Total Victims: 21 Killed & 289 Injured
  • Pedestrian Involved: 17
  • Bike Involved: 9
  • Motorcycle Involved: 33

With these statistics, Kern County ranks among the worst in the state for DUI crashes resulting in injuries, and ranks worst in the nation for DUI arrests. For the rate of DUI-related fatal collisions per 100,000 people, Kern County ranks highest in the state and second highest in the nation. Data shows 15 DUI drivers are on the road at any given moment, with a peak between midnight and 3 a.m., where there are nearly 80 DUI drivers in Kern County.

Nationally, impaired driving statistics are as follows:

• 2 out of 3 people will be impacted by drunk driving crashes in their lifetime.
• Every day 37 people are killed in drunk driving crashes, or every 39 minutes someone is killed.
• Every day 1,063 people are injured, or every 81 seconds, in drunk driving crash.
• The average drunk driver has driven drunk 80 times before first arrest.

Chain | Cohn | Clark has been a longtime partner of MADD and MADD Kern County, helping honor local officers and community members for their work in fighting DUI crimes through the annual Kern County Law Enforcement & Prosecutors Recognition Awards. Clark is a founding board member for the local chapter of MADD and is a recipient of the “Pursuit of Justice” award by MADD California. He regularly speaks to DUI offenders during the MADD Victim Impact Panels. Law firm marketing director Jorge Barrientos in 2023 was given the “Honorary Volunteer” award from MADD California. MADD Kern County honored Chain | Cohn | Clark with a “Community Champion” award in 2018 for the law firm’s work toward raising awareness locally and helping victims.

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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 Chain | Cohn | Clark by calling (661) 323-4000, or fill out a free consultation form, text, or chat with us at chainlaw.com.