Japan introducing new licence renewal rules for elderly drivers

Japan is planning to introduce new rules for elderly drivers. The scheme is intended to boost safety for older drivers aged 75 or more. There has been concern that with an ageing population, there will be an increased risk from elderly drivers with inadequate skills.
June 15, 2015 Read time: 1 min

Japan is planning to introduce new rules for elderly drivers.

The scheme is intended to boost safety for older drivers aged 75 or more. There has been concern that with an ageing population, there will be an increased risk from elderly drivers with inadequate skills. Drivers aged 75 or more will have to renew their driving licences should they become involved in a crash. They will also have to undertake tests to determine their cognitive abilities or whether they are suffering the onset of dementia. People failing the tests will lose their driving licence. At present drivers aged 75 or more are required to renew their licences every three years.

Statistically elderly drivers are not involved in a significantly large number of crashes.

The elderly tend to drive only comparatively short distances and are less likely to speed. Young novice drivers remain those most at risk of being involved in a crash.

However with average lifespans increasing, there are a growing number of older drivers using the road network in many developed countries, and Japan in particular.

Related Content

  • Alcohol consumption car crash cause
    December 15, 2014
    A new report from insurance firm Allianz highlights the appalling risks to road users resulting from drink driving. "On a global level, every 10th fatal accident can be traced back to alcohol. Men are more likely to expose themselves to this danger, risking their lives with it," according to Christoph Lauterwasser, Head of the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) in Munich. The fatality rates from road traffic crashes that have resulted from alcohol use have been investigated by the World Health Organisatio
    Read More
  • UK’s young drivers diminishing in number
    September 12, 2016
    Data available from the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) shows a continuing drop in the number of young people learning to drive. According to DfT research, fewer teenagers and young adults are now taking driving lessons or sitting driving tests than in previous decades. The cost of insurance is thought to be a major factor, since insurance firms have begun using more accurate calculations to determine the risk of young adults being involved in a crash. This has led to a massive jump in insurance premium
    Read More
  • European Transport Safety Commission makes call for traffic safety boost
    July 10, 2015
    In 2013, 7,600 people died in road traffic while cycling or walking in European Union (EU) countries – the equivalent of a commercial airliner full of passengers being lost every week Because of this risk of death, the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) wants vehicle manufacturers and local authorities to pay special attention to improving safety for cyclists, walkers and pedestrians. In a new report, the ETSC said the numbers being killed are falling more slowly than those for vehicle occupants. Over
    Read More
  • Ageing drivers in the US
    October 20, 2016
    US drivers are getting older, while there are now more females than males behind the wheel in the country. The latest data shows that nearly 20% of drivers in the US are aged 65 or more, and women drivers now outnumber male drivers. These trends have been identified as a result of data analysis by the US Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The preliminary data from the FHWA shows that the US now has more drivers than ever before, an estimated 217.9 million. The research sho
    Read More

Highlighted Content