Skip to main content

Risk for elderly on Japanese roads

Japan’s National Police Agency has revealed that the country’s road death figures increased slightly in 2015 compared with 2014. Total road fatalities for Japan in 2015 stood at 4,117, an increase of 0.1% from the previous year. There were 536,789 crashes in Japan during 2015, which injured 665,126 people. Of particular concern is the data showing that traffic deaths for those aged 65 or over rose by 2.5% to 2,247 in all, a worrying 54.6% of the total road fatality figure. Official information has not so fa
January 7, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Japan’s National Police Agency has revealed that the country’s road death figures increased slightly in 2015 compared with 2014. Total road fatalities for Japan in 2015 stood at 4,117, an increase of 0.1% from the previous year. There were 536,789 crashes in Japan during 2015, which injured 665,126 people. Of particular concern is the data showing that traffic deaths for those aged 65 or over rose by 2.5% to 2,247 in all, a worrying 54.6% of the total road fatality figure. Official information has not so far revealed why the elderly are at such a risk on Japan’s road network, which is amongst the most strictly enforced in the world.

On a more positive note however, the country’s measures to tackle drink driving appear to be having an effect. Japanese drivers seem to be getting the message that alcohol and motor vehicles do not make a good combination. Crashes caused by drunk driving dropped to just 203 incidents in 2015, a reduction of 10.6% when compared with 2014.

Related Content

  • Concern at high number of motorcycle deaths in US
    May 20, 2016
    Concern has been expressed at the high number of fatalities involving motorcycle users in the US during 2015. Preliminary figures from state authorities show that over 5,000 people were killed in motorcycle crashes in the US over the course of 2015. The full data has yet to be compiled and analysed but these early figures suggest an increase in motorcyclist deaths of 10% for 2014 compared with 2015, or around 450 more people killed than in the year previously. The report was released as part of the Gove
  • Drink driving a concern in Britain
    August 10, 2018
    The problem of drink driving is seeing an unwelcome upsurge on Britain’s road network. The latest official data reveals that casualties from drink driving are now on the increase. According to Department for Transport data, there were 9,040 people killed or seriously injured (KSI) as a result of drink driving on the British road network in 2016. Complete figures for 2017 have yet to be compiled but the trend appears to have continued. The KSI figures for 2016 represent a 7% increase over those for 2015 and
  • Safety concerns over cyclists and pedestrian deaths
    February 3, 2020
    A report from the ETSC reveals the lack of progress in improving safety for cyclists and pedestrians across Europe.
  • Road safety concern for Portugal, Norway, Czech Republic, Bulgaria
    September 11, 2024
    Road safety is seeing worrying standards for Portugal, Norway, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria.