Quick answer
After a crash in Bakersfield, get medical care, request the report from the Bakersfield Police Department or the CHP, and check your own coverage. California uses pure comparative fault, minimum liability limits are $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident, drivers must give cyclists at least three feet, and Uber and Lyft coverage depends on whether a ride was accepted. You generally have two years to sue, or six months to file a claim against a public entity.
If you were hurt in a car, pedestrian, bicycle or Uber crash in Bakersfield, get medical care, request the crash report from the agency that responded, and check your own insurance before you talk to the other driver’s insurer. The rules that decide your claim depend on how you were traveling. A Bakersfield car accident lawyer can sort out which rules and which insurance policies apply to your crash.
We are B&D Law Group, APLC. Our Bakersfield personal injury attorneys work from 4900 California Ave, Tower B, 2nd Floor, and handle crash cases across Kern County. This guide covers the rules for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and rideshare passengers in one place.
Car Accidents in Bakersfield
Bakersfield’s wide, fast arterials such as Rosedale Highway, Ming Avenue and California Avenue, together with Highway 99 and Highway 58, produce high-speed intersection and rear-end crashes. California uses pure comparative fault, adopted in Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975), so if you were partly at fault your recovery is reduced by your share rather than barred.
Insurance limits are often the real constraint. For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, California’s minimum liability limits are $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident and $15,000 for property damage. When the at-fault driver carries only the minimum, or no insurance at all, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy can make up part of the difference.
Pedestrian Accidents
Under Vehicle Code section 21950, drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing within a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, and must slow down or take other action to protect a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Pedestrians still have a duty of care and may not suddenly leave a curb into the path of a vehicle close enough to be a hazard. Our guide to California crosswalk laws covers these rules in more depth.
Bicycle Accidents
Vehicle Code section 21760 requires a driver passing a cyclist in the same direction to change into another available lane when one is practicable, and never to pass closer than three feet. When three feet is not possible, the driver must slow down and pass only when it will not endanger the cyclist. Under Vehicle Code section 21212, riders under 18 must wear a helmet. We explain liability between drivers and cyclists in bicycle vs. car accident liability.
Uber and Lyft Accidents
Rideshare cases turn on what the driver was doing at the time of the crash. Under Public Utilities Code section 5433, when the driver is logged into the app but has not accepted a ride, the company’s insurance must provide at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in liability coverage. Once a ride is accepted, and while a passenger is in the car, the required coverage rises to $1,000,000. Since January 1, 2026, under Senate Bill 371, the rideshare company must also carry uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage of $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident while a passenger is in the vehicle, down from $1,000,000 before that date.
That means the same crash can be covered very differently depending on the app’s records, which is why those records should be requested early. Our rideshare accident attorneys handle claims for passengers, other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists hit by rideshare vehicles.
Crash Reports and Deadlines
Crashes on Bakersfield city streets are usually handled by the Bakersfield Police Department, and crashes on the state highways by the California Highway Patrol. Request the report from whichever agency responded. Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 generally gives you two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit, and Government Code section 911.2 requires a written claim within six months if a public entity is involved. Crash lawsuits arising in the Bakersfield area are typically filed in Kern County Superior Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the driver who hit me only has minimum insurance?
California’s minimum limits for policies issued or renewed since January 1, 2025 are $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy can cover part of the gap.
Do drivers have to give cyclists three feet in California?
Yes. Vehicle Code section 21760 requires at least three feet when passing, and a lane change when another lane is available and practicable. If three feet is not possible, the driver must slow down and pass only when it is safe.
Whose insurance covers an Uber or Lyft accident?
It depends on what the driver was doing. Under Public Utilities Code section 5433, coverage is at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident while the app is on without a ride, and $1,000,000 once a ride is accepted or a passenger is in the car.
How long do I have to file a claim after a Bakersfield crash?
Generally two years from the date of injury under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, and six months for a government claim under Government Code section 911.2.
More Bakersfield guides: we also cover truck accidents, wrongful death claims, motorcycle crashes and dog bites in Kern County.
Talk to a Bakersfield Car Accident Attorney
Whether you were driving, walking, riding a bike or sitting in the back of a rideshare, the first weeks decide what evidence and insurance you will have to work with. We handle these cases through our car accident attorneys, pedestrian accident and bicycle accident practices and our Bakersfield office. Call (888) 977-2238 or use our contact page.
Attorney advertising. This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this article or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. If you have been injured, speak with a licensed attorney about your specific situation.