BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — According to a Bakersfield law office, Ming Avenue and New Stine Road is the most dangerous intersection in the city.
The Law Office of Chain Cohn Clark compiled a list of the worst intersections in Bakersfield based on data from the Transportation Injury Mapping System which utilizes information from California’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System. SWITRS is a "is a database that collects and processes data gathered from a collision scene."
According to a release from the law firm, overall the worst areas in regards to crashes are in downtown Bakersfield, as well as the northeast. However, the top three worst intersections were all in the southwest.
The top 10 most dangerous intersections in Bakersfield are as follows:
- Ming Avenue and New Stine Road (40 Crashes)
- Gosford Road and Ming Avenue (37)
- Real Road and Wilson Road (35)
- 34th Street and Q Street (34)
- Brundage Lane and P Street (34)
- H Street and Ming Avenue (34)
- H Street and Planz Road (33)
- Baker Street and Niles Street (31)
- H Street and Wilson Road (31)
- 4th Street and Union Avenue (30)
Chain Cohn Clark pointed out that the report was released "at a time when traffic deaths in the United States have reached record highs."
In September, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released estimates that showed 10,590 people died on roadways this year from April through June, which is a 4.9% decrease from the same time as last year. The agency said this marks the first decline in seven quarters.
The decline, however, wasn't enough to offset deaths reported from January through June, which showed an increase of 0.5% from the same time last year, with 20,175 people dying in accidents, the agency estimated. In August, the agency released a report that showed deaths on the roadway hit a 20-year high. According to its estimates, the agency said 9,560 people died in the first quarter of 2022, a 7% increase from last year.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said traffic deaths are "still at high levels."
"Traffic deaths appear to be declining for the first time since 2020, but they are still at high levels that call for urgent and sustained action. These deaths are preventable, not inevitable, and we should act accordingly," said Buttigieg in a press release. "Safety is our guiding mission at the Department of Transportation, and we will redouble our efforts to reduce the tragic number of deaths on our nation’s roads."
“We want to bring awareness to not only the issues facing motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists on our roadways but the areas in our community with the highest numbers of collisions,” said Matt Clark, senior partner and attorney at Chain | Cohn | Clark. “As we cross these paths, let’s be extra careful to make sure we all make it home safe.”
