Skip to main content

Continued improvement in Japan’s road safety

Improved road safety in Japan has been revealed, following the release of the latest official statistics. During 2016 there were 3,904 road deaths in Japan, a drop of 213 from the previous year. The data is significant as this is the lowest level of recorded road fatalities for 67 years and the first time in this period that road deaths have dropped below 4,000. The reasons for Japan’s improved road safety are thought to include better road design, safer vehicles and gains in traffic safety education measur
January 5, 2017 Read time: 1 min
Improved road safety in Japan has been revealed, following the release of the latest official statistics. During 2016 there were 3,904 road deaths in Japan, a drop of 213 from the previous year. The data is significant as this is the lowest level of recorded road fatalities for 67 years and the first time in this period that road deaths have dropped below 4,000. The reasons for Japan’s improved road safety are thought to include better road design, safer vehicles and gains in traffic safety education measures. The gains in road safety are expected to continue in future years and the target by the Japanese Government is to cut road deaths to 2,500/year or lower by 2020.

Related Content

  • Increase in fatal vehicle crashes across US
    December 4, 2015
    A worrying increase in fatalities from vehicle crashes has been noted in the US during the first half of 2015. This comes in the wake of several years of improvements in road safety. A new report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the first six months of 2015 shows that motor vehicle fatalities increased 8.1% compared to the same period last year.
  • Vietnam sees a road safety gain
    April 26, 2022
    Vietnam is seeing a gain in road safety.
  • Vietnam’s high crash rate
    April 19, 2016
    Vietnam’s road crash rate is still too high and causing concern. Recent measures such as requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets have helped reduce the country’s death toll on its roads, but the casualty statistics are still a major issue. The official data from the National Traffic Safety Committee in Vietnam shows that there were around 5,000 crashes recorded in the first quarter of 2016. These crashes injured over 4,500 and killed close to 2,200 people. The police also fined the drivers of over 909,0
  • Vietnam and Laos addressing road safety
    February 29, 2012
    Accident statistics from Laos and Vietnam reveal a growing awareness of the problems needing attention.