Some Bakersfield drivers keep an eye on the road and always monitor their speeds. But other drivers aren’t so careful.
Local drivers can be distracted by cellphone screens or be going 20 mph over the speed limit and cause a scary impact.
The risks are highest along Kern County’s highways, where more traffic and faster cars, trucks, and SUVs can cause more collisions and more serious consequences.
Maison Law of Bakersfield commissioned the study of the dangerous highways in recent years. It’s hoped that by highlighting the routes that cost the most people their lives, visual proof of the danger can convince motorists to slow down and pay attention.
The Highway that Claims the Most Lives in Bakersfield
Most local drivers would assume that Highway 99 presents the most deadly risks to local drivers each day. It is the road with the most fatalities each year on average in Kern County.
However, Route 58 is just decimal points behind when comparing average deaths annually over the past five years. Route 58 has far fewer collisions to report, but often has just as many or more fatal accidents.
- Highway 99 averaged 8 deaths a year between 2021 and 2025. Route 58 averaged 10.2. Both are tragic numbers on busy thoroughfares.
- Overall, Highway 99 through Bakersfield and Kern County recorded 8 lost lives in accidents in 2025. That was down from the 12 fatalities recorded in 2024.
- Highway 58 recorded 9 lives lost in 2025, and the same number of lives taken in 2024.
These figures come from California’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) data, collected with the help of Bakersfield Police, the Sheriff’s Department, and the California Highway Patrol each year.
Interstate 5 is on the outskirts of Bakersfield, but plenty of local families still travel those fast-moving lanes through Kern County up North or down to Los Angeles. The freeway claimed at least 4 lives in 2025.
The Bakersfield Highway that Sees the Most Serious Accidents
Highway 99 definitely sees the most serious accidents in the area. TIMS found that 99 recorded an average of 262 collisions involving injury over a recent 5-year period (2021 to 2025).
Highway 58 recorded, on average, around 158 collisions annually over the same period.
- Highway 99 was the scene of 240 serious accidents in 2025, that’s along the stretch through Bakersfield and Kern County. That was down slightly from 253 incidents in 2024.
- Highway 58 recorded 169 crashes involving injuries in 2025. That was up slightly from the 157 incidents documented in 2024.
Interstate 5 through Kern County saw 172 serious accidents in 2025. That was an unwanted jump from 2024’s 140 crashes.
Hoping for Safer Trips on Bakersfield Roads Across 2026
If you suffer a serious injury anywhere in Kern County, and a careless driver was at fault, a skilled lawyer can often protect your innocence and earn you more.
We can also help families who have lost a loved one to a reckless driver’s mistake. A wrongful death claim allows those left behind to seek justice and get help facing an uncertain future.
Contact Maison Law for a free, no-obligation consultation to see what your claim should be worth. Remember, if you end up needing the help of a Bakersfield Car Accident Lawyer, there’s no up-front cost to you. We don’t get paid unless we win your case. Then our fee comes out of the settlement check that a car insurance company must write for you.
