Insurance Study Finds California Cities – Including Bakersfield – Dominate DUI Rate List

Driving impaired not only endangers lives, but it can also wreak havoc on auto insurance rates, with recent analysis revealing that cities in California dominate the rankings for the highest DUI incidents in the United States, including Bakersfield.

A recent study by LendingTree analyzed millions of insurance quotes to identify the cities in the United States with the highest DUI rates. The findings reveal that the top ten cities for DUI incidents are all located in California and North Carolina. The study also highlights the significant increases in insurance costs, number of DUIs by vehicle make, and alarming rates of fatal crashes, while underscoring the necessity for ongoing awareness and preventive measures against impaired driving.

Of the highest DUI rates in the country, Bakersfield ranked No. 5 overall, with a rate of 1.05 per 1,000 drivers. Raleigh, North Carolina ranked first overall with a rate of 1.46, following by Sacramento (1.31), Los Angeles (1.12), and San Jose (1.09) in California.

As for percentage of fatal crashes involving drunk drivers, Bakersfield ranked No. 36 overall at 29.1%. El Paso, Texas, ranked No. 1 with a rate of 49.3%.

“The alarming rates of DUIs in these cities, in Bakersfield specifically, coupled with the staggering percentage of fatal crashes involving impaired drivers, underscore the urgent need for enhanced education, stricter enforcement, and innovative prevention strategies,” said Matt Clark, managing partner and attorney at Law Office of Chain | Cohn | Clark. “These statistics aren’t just numbers, they represent lives lost, families shattered, and communities impacted. We must redouble our efforts to make sober driving the norm and ensure that everyone understands the devastating consequences of getting behind the wheel while impaired.”

Among other findings from the data analysis:

• Generationally, Gen Z drivers ages 18 to 26 across the 50 largest cities are the likeliest to receive DUIs (0.39 per 1,000 drivers), but millennials ages 27 to 42 are close, at 0.32.
• Cadillac drivers have the highest DUI rate by far at 0.56 per 1,000 drivers, followed by those driving Buicks (0.34) and Fords (0.30). Tesla drivers landed in the top 10, with 0.24 DUIs per 1,000 drivers. At the other end, Subaru drivers saw the lowest DUI rate at 0.13 per 1,000. Mercury and Acura tie for second lowest with a DUI rate of 0.14.
• Getting a DUI can increase annual auto insurance premiums substantially, often more than doubling. On average across the 50 largest U.S. cities, the total annual increase in auto insurance premiums with a DUI is $1,876.90.

A comprehensive analysis was conducted using a vast dataset of insurance quotes from “QuoteWizard by LendingTree,” spanning from July 9, 2023, to July 9, 2024. The study focused on the 50 most populous U.S. cities. Generational categories were defined using Pew Research Center’s age ranges. For the vehicle make analysis, the study included the 30 most frequently quoted car brands. The insurance rate data was sourced from Quadrant Information Services, derived from insurer filings.

Read the full analysis and ranking by clicking here.

CHAIN | COHN | CLARK + MADD KERN COUNTY

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.

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.