CALIFORNIA — A recent national study revealed that four California counties are among the 20 with the highest number of fatal hit-and-run accidents in the United States.
The research analyzed data nationwide, determining that a fatal hit-and-run accident occurs every 43 seconds.
California Counties with the Most Fatal Hit-and-Run Accidents
California stood out with 11 counties included among the 75 most dangerous in the country. Among them:
- Kern County – ranked 14th, with 84 deaths
- Fresno County – ranked 15th, with 91 deaths
- Merced County – ranked 16th, with 25 deaths
- Stanislaus County – ranked 19th, with 47 deaths
- Tulare County – ranked 22nd, with 39 deaths
- Also included were San Joaquin, Sacramento, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Solano counties.
The report highlighted that Bakersfield, in Kern County, is the city with the highest number of fatal hit-and-run crashes in California, linked to unsafe pedestrian crossings and illegal street racing.
Meanwhile, Fresno County ranked seventh nationally for pedestrian death rates.
Merced County, on the other hand, ranked second in the state for crashes involving underage drinking drivers.
Researchers concluded that time of day, drug or alcohol use, victim age, and the driver’s perceived fault play a major role in whether a driver decides to flee the scene.
These figures are a strong reminder that road safety remains a serious concern across California. Behind every statistic are families affected and communities grieving preventable losses.
Improving road design, enforcing responsible driving, and fostering awareness are key steps toward reversing this trend.
No one should lose their life because of another driver’s recklessness or decision to run away.
