CHP officials said the collision was reported at approximately 9:08 p.m. on Jan. 4 on the westbound lanes of Highway 178 near Union Avenue.
Bakersfield, CA – One person was killed Sunday night following a vehicle versus pedestrian crash on Highway 178 in Bakersfield, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP officials said the collision was reported at approximately 9:08 p.m. on Jan. 4 on the westbound lanes of Highway 178 near Union Avenue. Details surrounding how the pedestrian was struck were not immediately available.
The Kern County Coroner’s Office was called to the scene, confirming at least one fatality. The identity of the victim has not yet been released, and authorities have not said whether additional injuries were reported.
Following the crash, the Union Avenue off-ramp was closed as investigators worked at the scene.
The incident remains under investigation.
In 2024, Bakersfield experienced a decrease in fatal collisions but an increase in total non-fatal injury crashes, indicating mixed results for road safety. There were 44 total fatal collisions in 2024, a notable reduction from 53 in 2023 and 69 in 2022. Of the 2024 fatal incidents, 17 involved a pedestrian, five involved a bicycle, and 22 involved a vehicle. The number of total non-fatal injury collisions, however, rose to 1,813 in 2024, up from 1,784 in 2023. Speeding, impaired driving (DUI), and pedestrian violations are consistently cited as primary factors in these crashes. Bakersfield has faced challenges with pedestrian safety, having been identified as one of the most dangerous cities in California for walkers, with 55 pedestrian fatalities reported in Kern County in 2024. In 2023, there were 88 motorcycle crashes in the city, resulting in 6 deaths and 101 injuries.
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