Skip to main content

Emergency driver

In Japan a firefighter has been dismissed, having driven fire engines and other emergency vehicles without a license. The man had been working as a firefighter for over 20 years in Takaoka City before a routine check uncovered the fact that he had no license. At first the man tried to pass off his father's driving license as his own, but when he seemed reluctant to show it to his superiors they insisted on examining it more closely and it was quickly realised that the photograph was of his father. Although
July 30, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
In Japan a firefighter has been dismissed, having driven fire engines and other emergency vehicles without a license. The man had been working as a firefighter for over 20 years in Takaoka City before a routine check uncovered the fact that he had no license. At first the man tried to pass off his father's driving license as his own, but when he seemed reluctant to show it to his superiors they insisted on examining it more closely and it was quickly realised that the photograph was of his father. Although the man had gone to a driving school he had failed a written test, but this did not dissuade him from pursuing a career as a firefighter and he drove emergency vehicles over 400 times. The Takaoka Fire Department has apologised to locals and has tried to cover its loss of face by pointing out that the man did not cause any traffic accidents.

Related Content

  • Traffic control to beat congestion
    November 6, 2012
    Max Lay discusses how congestion has posed problems throughout history from early civilisation to the present day One of the earliest known human settlements was at the Springs of Elisha at Jericho. Inevitably, locals collecting fresh water from the springs would encounter other water carriers. When a path was too narrow, or access to it was too limited, or it crossed another path, some carriers would find it necessary to stand aside for others. Priority in such cases might be based on common courtesy and p
  • Concerns for young drivers causing crashes
    May 24, 2016
    Concern is being expressed for the safety of young drivers. Statistics both from the US and the UK reveal the shockingly high risk of young drivers being involved in crashes. They also reveal that young drivers are a danger not only to themselves, but to other road users as well as the occupants of their own vehicles. The latest figures from the UK show that 2,088 young drivers and passengers aged from 17-24 were killed and seriously injured in just one year. Although the data shows that drivers aged fro
  • In Control
    April 23, 2013
    A disabled French driver had a terrifying experience when the accelerator pedal on his specially- adapted vehicle failed. The man was making a trip to the supermarket when the accelerator jammed at a speed of 100km/h. But when he tried to brake, the car accelerated instead of slowing down. The driver used his cellphone to call the emergency services and several police cars came rushing to his assistance. The police cars escorted him as he roared along a major highway in Northern France, with t
  • Apps for all in Louisiana
    May 20, 2020
    Jason Barnes* looks at how a system of engagement (SoE) from software specialist Esri helped the US state of Louisiana’s transportation department create user-friendly apps