In Japan, 15% of the fatal crashes are caused by drivers over the age of 75. After a series of high-profile crashes involving older drivers hitting children, Japan is looking at its licensing program that will restrict elderly drivers to only driving vehicles with an automatic braking system. This could be a trend in other countries with an aging population. This will work in Japan because the average age of a vehicle is 8.53 years and inspections happen every two years for most passenger vehicles.
Japan considers safety measures for elderly motorists including a new driving license and restricting them to cars with automatic brakes
- One in four people aged 80 or over drives a car every day in Japan, survey says
- Motorists over 75 cause around 15% of all road traffic deaths in the country
- Japan’s been rocked by a string of recent accidents involving elderly drivers and children, with many calling for tighter restrictions on the road
- There’s been debate about the safety of older drivers in the UK following Prince Philip’s crash in January
By Rob Hull
Japan is currently considering new measures for elderly motorists in the country due to the high proportion of road deaths caused by aging drivers and a string of incidents involving children.
A new driving license system could be put in place for senior citizens along with the requirement that they only drive cars with safety features such as automatic brakes.
According to the National Police Agency (NPA), 15 percent of road casualties in the country in 2018 were caused by drivers aged 75 or over.