County hopes to reduce pedestrian related accidents with new signs

17 signs installed in Oildale and east Bakersfield

Emma Lockhart
6:54 PM, Aug 23, 2018

Kern County installed 17 new signs in Oildale and east Bakersfield in hopes of reducing pedestrian related accidents. The effort comes after a report showed where high numbers of a pedestrian related accidents happen in the county.

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BAKERSFIELD -- CA - Kern County installed 17 new pedestrian signs in an effort to reduce pedestrian related accidents. 

A report released earlier this year showed that Oildale and east Bakersfield were the areas with the most accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists.  

County Supervisor Mike Maggard says that a majority of those accidents happen because of jaywalking. 

They also installed a crosswalk with flashing lights off Airport Drive and Norris Road.

Maggard says this is the first wave of safety measures being taken, and more crosswalks with flashing lights with be installed. 

According to Maggard, this is an issue across the state. 

"Calfifornia is exploding in homelessness. When the state legislature released so many people from state prison, many of the people that were released were mentally ill or drug addicts. Well, many of the people who are being hit are under the influence or mentally ill," Maggard said. 

The county hopes that these new signs will help to prevent accidents from happening in the future. 

 

Copyright 2018 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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