MADD Kern County to host 9th ‘Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash’, presented by Chain | Cohn | Clark

Bakersfield is ranked as one of the worst places to drive in the United States, with life-changing crashes taking place regularly in Kern County and motor vehicle accidents spiking to record highs in recent years. Impaired driving is a big reason.

For the ninth year, Kern County will come together on Saturday, Sept. 24, at Park at River Walk for the Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash — presented by Chain | Cohn | Clark — in the fight against drunk and drugged driving, and proclaim, “No More Victims!”

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.

Just how bad is the problem in Kern County? Our community has seen at least 4,000 DUI arrests made each year, according to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office – more than 11 DUI arrests per day. Plus, Kern County ranks worst in the state for DUI crashes resulting in injuries, and second most in the United States. A recent survey by Quote Wizard ranked Bakersfield as having the worst drivers on roadways by analyzing 6 million car insurance quotes and based on four factors of driver quality — accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs, and citations (running a red light, using a cellphone while driving, and more). Our town ranked worst (No. 1) for DUIs.

“We should remember that behind these startling statistics are lives being upended,” said Carla Pearson, MADD Kern County’s victim services specialist. “And because impaired driving crashes are 100% preventable, we can come together to make sure we have no more victims in our community.”

Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash has three main components:

• Remember: We walk and run for those who no longer can and alongside those who are learning to walk again.
• Inspire: We 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: We walk and run with supporters who share our vision of “No More Victims.”

At the state level, the MADD Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving calls for high-visibility law enforcement, ignition interlocks or “in-car breathalyzers” for all convicted drunk drivers, and support for the development of advanced technology.

Funds raised in Kern County’s event funds local educational programs and prevention services, raises awareness of the DUI problem in our local communities, and provides support to local victims and survivors of impaired driving crashes. Since the first Bakersfield Walk Like MADD in 2014, thousands of local residents have made their voices heard while raising nearly $500,000 for MADD Kern County.

Presented by local law firm Chain | Cohn | Clark, it’s also supported this year by Chevron, Valley Strong Credit Union, Kern County Prosecutors Association, Sikh Riders of America, Geico Philanthropic Foundation, Strata Credit Union, and others.

For more information, and to register, go to walklikemadd.org/bakersfield.

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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.

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MEDIA COVERAGE

• Ninth annual Walk like MADD set for Saturday (The Bakersfield Californian – Sept. 19, 2022)
• 9th annual ‘Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash’ happening Sept. 24 (KGET-17, NBC – Sept. 21, 2022) (web version)
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving, MADD, to host annual event, Walk Like MADD and MADD Dash (KBAK-29, CBS Eyewitness News – Sept. 22, 2022) (web version)