Bakersfield Accident Guide
If you were hurt in a crash in Bakersfield, this guide shows where to get your police report, how to file a claim against the City of Bakersfield or Kern County, which intersections and freeways see the most crashes, and the deadlines that matter. Each fact links to the official source.
How do I get a police accident report in Bakersfield?
It depends on who wrote the report. Bakersfield PD handles crashes on city streets, and CHP covers freeways and state highways such as SR-99 and SR-58. The City links to LexisNexis, where you can search and buy Bakersfield PD crash reports online. CHP reports are online or by CHP 190 form.
| Agency | How to request | Wait, fee, and rules |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield PD (city streets in the City of Bakersfield) | Online: the Traffic Accident Report link on the City of Bakersfield Get page (LexisNexis). If you cannot find it online, contact the Bakersfield Police Department Records office. | The fee is shown at checkout. The City’s page does not list a mail option, wait time, or fee, so call Records before mailing anything. Source: City of Bakersfield: Get |
| CHP (freeways and state highways) | Online: CHP Online Crash Report System. In person or mail: CHP 190 form (PDF) to any CHP Area office. | Online reports are usually ready about 8 business days after the crash. Fee: $10 for 1 to 25 pages, $10 more per added 25 pages; check or money order. Attach a copy of your ID or have the form notarized. Source: CHP: Request a Crash Report; CHP 190 instructions |
If the report gets the facts wrong or blames you, read what to do when a California collision report blames you.
Who is allowed to get a copy of the crash report?
California limits crash reports to people with a proper interest. That includes drivers, injured people, passengers, vehicle or property owners, parents of injured minors, guardians, and their lawyers or insurance companies. You will usually need ID and the report number, date, and location. A lawyer can request it for you.
- The rule is in Vehicle Code §20012.
- Have the date, time, location, names, and report or case number if you have it.
How do I file a claim against the City of Bakersfield?
File the Liability Claim Against the City of Bakersfield with the City Clerk within six months of the crash. Mail or deliver the completed form to City Clerk, City of Bakersfield, 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. Sign at the bottom of page 2 and on each attached sheet. Make sure the claim is against the City.
| Way to file | Details |
|---|---|
| Form | Liability Claim Against the City of Bakersfield (PDF). |
| Mail or in person | City Clerk, City of Bakersfield, 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. |
Source: City of Bakersfield claim form. Tripped on a broken city sidewalk? See suing a California city or county over a broken sidewalk.
How do I file a claim against Kern County?
Submit the County’s General Liability Claim Form to the Clerk of the Board, County of Kern, 1115 Truxtun Avenue, 5th Floor, Bakersfield. Injury claims are generally due within six months. The County’s General Liability office handles the claim after filing and posts the form and its instructions online. Call (661) 868-3601 with questions.
- Form: Kern County General Liability Claim Form (PDF). Instructions: Kern County Risk Management: General Liability.
Other public agencies
| Agency | How to file |
|---|---|
| Caltrans (state highways) | Claims of $12,500 or less for injury or personal property: form DOT LD-0274 to the Caltrans district claim office listed on the Caltrans page. Larger claims go to DGS. Caltrans: Submit a Damage Claim |
| Other State agencies | DGS Government Claims Program ($25 fee or fee waiver request). DGS: File a Claim |
What is the timeline for a government claim in California?
For an injury, you generally have six months to file the claim. The agency then has 45 days to act, and silence counts as a denial. After a written denial you usually have six months to sue. If no proper written notice is sent, the lawsuit deadline is generally two years.
| Stage | Usual deadline | Law |
|---|---|---|
| 1. File the claim | Within 6 months of the injury | Gov. Code §911.2 |
| 2. Missed it? Ask to file late | Within a reasonable time, no later than 1 year | Gov. Code §911.4 |
| 3. Agency decides | 45 days; no answer counts as a denial | Gov. Code §912.4 |
| 4. File the lawsuit | 6 months after written denial notice; 2 years if no proper notice | Gov. Code §945.6 |
| 5. Late claim denied | Ask the court for relief within 6 months | Gov. Code §946.6 |
Exceptions can shorten or lengthen these dates. For the general two-year rule and other deadlines, read how long you have to file a personal injury claim in California.
What are the most dangerous intersections in Bakersfield?
In Bakersfield PD collision records for 2022 through 2024 in the state’s crash database, the intersections with the most reported crashes were Oak Street and Truxtun Avenue, 4th Street and Union Avenue, and Niles Street and Union Avenue. Two each are on Union Avenue and Chester Avenue.
| Rank | Intersection | Reported collisions, 2022 to 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oak St and Truxtun Ave | 20 |
| 2 | 4th St and Union Ave | 19 |
| 3 | Niles St and Union Ave | 19 |
| 4 | California Ave and Chester Ave | 18 |
| 5 | 24th St and Oak St | 16 |
| 6 | 24th St and Chester Ave | 15 |
| 7 | Brundage Ln and P St | 15 |
| 8 | Stine Rd and White Ln | 14 |
| 9 | Ashe Rd and Berkshire Rd | 13 |
| 10 | Coffee Rd and Rosedale Hwy | 13 |
Method: Bakersfield Police Department (Bakersfield PD) collision records in the CHP Crash Reporting System (CCRS), January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2024, counting crashes coded at the intersection itself (no distance from the cross street), combining both street orders and spelling variants, and leaving out freeway ramps. These are only the reports Bakersfield PD submitted to the state database, not every crash, and ties are listed alphabetically. Data pulled October 27, 2026 from CCRS on the California Open Data Portal.
Many of these crashes involve people walking or riding. See your rights after being hit by a car as a pedestrian and who pays after a bicycle or e-bike crash. If the driver fled, read what happens after an uninsured or hit-and-run crash.
Which Bakersfield freeways have the most crashes?
In CHP crash records for 2024 within Bakersfield city limits, SR-99 had the most freeway crashes, followed by SR-58 and SR-178. SR-99 alone accounted for most freeway crashes CHP reported in the city that year, and it also had the most injuries and deaths. Crash counts here are far lower than in larger cities.
| Freeway | Crashes | People injured | People killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| SR-99 | 261 | 110 | 3 |
| SR-58 | 66 | 43 | 1 |
| SR-178 | 37 | 23 | 0 |
Method: CHP Crash Reporting System (CCRS) records for calendar year 2024 where the city is Bakersfield and the crash is marked as on a freeway, grouped by route (both directions). CCRS reflects CHP reports, and recent data can change as reports are reviewed. Data pulled October 27, 2026 from CCRS on the California Open Data Portal.
Freeway crashes often involve big rigs and rideshare drivers. See our pages on California truck accidents and rideshare accident claims.
Do I need to report the crash to the DMV?
Yes, if anyone was hurt or killed, even slightly, or property damage was over $1,000. Each driver must file form SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days, even if police made a report. Your insurance agent, broker, or lawyer can file it for you. Skipping it can lead to a license suspension.
- File online or on paper: DMV: Report of Traffic Accident (SR-1). Law: Vehicle Code §16000.
- If someone was hurt, a written report to CHP or the city police is also due within 24 hours: Vehicle Code §20008.
Where do I file an injury lawsuit in Bakersfield?
Bakersfield injury lawsuits are filed in Kern County Superior Court. The court lists the Metro Justice Building, 1215 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, as a civil court location. Unlimited civil cases are those over $35,000. Smaller cases can be limited civil, or small claims for $12,500 or less if you are an individual.
- Metro Justice Building: 1215 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93301, (661) 610-6000. Source: Kern Superior Court: Civil and Small Claims
What should I do next after a Bakersfield crash?
Get medical care, keep every bill and record, request the crash report, and write down your deadlines. File a government claim within six months if a public agency may share blame. Tell your insurer promptly, but think before giving a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer about your injuries.
- Step by step: what to do after a car accident in California.
- How value is judged: what your California personal injury case may be worth.
- Low policy limits: how underinsured motorist coverage works in California.
- By crash type: car accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, and rideshare accidents.
- Forms you may need: California injury forms, insurer claim lines, medical records, and liens.
- Other cities: see all California accident guides.
Deadlines and next steps depend on facts this page can’t see. You can talk with Geller Legal about your options. Call 213-770-4870. No fee unless we recover.*
Contact Geller LegalCall 213-770-4870*Under our written contingency fee agreement, if there is no recovery you owe no attorney fees and do not have to repay the case costs we advanced. Medical bills and other non-litigation expenses remain your responsibility. Offices in Los Angeles and Oakland.
This page is general information about California law and Bakersfield procedures, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fees, forms, and agency procedures change; confirm with the linked official source. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising. Geller Legal, a dba of The Geller Firm, Inc.