Skip to main content

Improved road safety for Japan

Official figures from Japan reveal an improving situation with regard to road safety. According to data from the Japanese National Police Agency, traffic accident fatalities in 2012 fell 4.4% compared to the previous year. There were 4,411 deaths on Japan’s roads, the first time the annual road fatality rate has dropped below 4,500 since 1951. There has also been a noted drop in the numbers of fatalities related to people driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) at 252, the lowest this has been since 19
January 8, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Official figures from Japan reveal an improving situation with regard to road safety. According to data from the Japanese 2343 National Police Agency, traffic accident fatalities in 2012 fell 4.4% compared to the previous year. There were 4,411 deaths on Japan’s roads, the first time the annual road fatality rate has dropped below 4,500 since 1951. There has also been a noted drop in the numbers of fatalities related to people driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) at 252, the lowest this has been since 1990. The police attribute this to tougher enforcement and stricter laws relating to DUI offences. However, road accident deaths involving senior citizens aged 65 and more increased to 2,264 cases, so,e 51.3% of the total in 2012. Meanwhile, Aichi prefecture recorded the most fatal accident cases nationwide with 235 deaths, followed by 200 deaths each by Hokkaido and Saitama prefectures. On the other hand, Tottori and Tokushima prefectures reported the fewest number of road accident deaths with 30 and 32 cases respectively.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Road fatalities drink driving
    April 16, 2012
    The European Union is making serious moves to tackle road fatalities in a bid to cut Europe's road death rates to 25,000/year by 2010. So far, measures taken have had little effect, bringing the number down by just 18% to 41,000/year.
  • Improved road safety for Germany
    March 11, 2022
    Data shows improved road safety for Germany in 2021.
  • Continued improvement in Swedish road safety
    April 11, 2014
    Sweden’s road safety continues to improve as highlighted by the latest official statistics. These show that a 9% drop in road fatalities for 2013 compared with the previous year. In all 260 people were killed in road crashes on Sweden’s roads during 2013. The official data was compiled by Trafikanalys and to put this in context, Sweden’s rate of road-related fatalities is now at its lowest level since 1944. It is worth noting that in 1944, there were comparatively few registered motor vehicles in Sweden whi
  • Fall in EU road fatalities
    May 10, 2012
    Latest statistics show road fatalities fell in the European Union by 11% in 2010 compared with the previous year. Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Spain, Luxembourg, Sweden, France and Slovenia have all made reductions of more than 50% in the number of deaths on their roads since 2001, says the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC). The organisation’s 2011 PIN [Road Safety Performance Index] Awards went to Sweden and Lithuania recognising their particular efforts in reducing road deaths.