A big rig driver is on the run after striking and tragically killing a woman on foot in east Bakersfield Friday night. The California Highway Patrol says they received reports that a female pedestrian was struck sometime before 8:30 p.m. on May 6, 2022.
ABC23-TV reports the accident took place on Fairfax Road near the intersection of Niles Street. Investigators indicate that a semi-truck traveling east on Niles Street attempted a right turn onto South Fairfax Road. It was in the southbound lanes that a female pedestrian was struck and killed.
Witnesses report the big rig driver involved didn’t stop to check on the victim. The semi-truck was last seen heading south on Fairfax Road.
The search for the responsible driver continues. If you have any information about the truck driver or the truck involved, please contact the California Highway Patrol.
Pedestrian Accident Dangers in Bakersfield in 2022
Bakersfield pedestrians are not provided with the safest routes to get around the city. They have limited time to make it across crosswalks and aren’t given pedestrian paths and bridges in able to avoid confrontations with drivers. When distracted car and big rig drivers are on the road, pedestrians have even less of a chance to cross streets and highways safely.
The California Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) found that pedestrian accident cases rose slightly in 2021 in Bakersfield. In the preliminary statistics released for 2021, they documented 109 accidents involving someone on foot in Bakersfield. Those accidents led to 10 deaths and 111 injured victims.
In 2020, TIMS recorded 103 pedestrian accidents within city limits. While there were fewer incidents in 2020, the number of deaths was higher. 14 pedestrians lost their lives that year and another 100 victims suffered injuries.
The heartbreaking data clearly shows the dangers pedestrians face across Bakersfield. And we must all remember that we become pedestrians anytime we park our vehicles. Safer routes and more attentive drivers are the only changes that can give pedestrians a better chance to arrive at their destinations safely.
A word about pedestrian accidents in Bakersfield…
If a loved one has been the victim of a hit-and-run big rig accident in Bakersfield, you should be aware of the benefits available to you and your family through an insurance claim. Financial support is available to families even when a hit-and-run truck driver isn’t found.
You can read more about these cases on my page about tragic pedestrian accidents in Kern County.
