2 drivers arrested over fatal hit-and-run in Chiba

81, once again an ancient driver kills someone and denies it.

At 2 a.m. I wonder if the cause was age or alcohol.

Livin' in ParadiseToday  08:24 am JST

an 81 year old should not be driving

Thats not fair, there are plenty of 80 plus year old very capable drivers. If your comment was something like over 80 years old drivers should be made to do yearly driving tests then perhaps it would not be so bad.

TWO holes kept driving after hitting her. How low can you go?

Chiba and Saitama should get their own crime section.

@Alongfortheride

I agree there are many capable drivers at and around 80 years old but their are also plenty that should have already handed in their license and obviously this grandpa was also probably a capable driver until he hit somebody and since the population in Japan is starting to become an aging society we see more and more of these elderly accidents and the ones we see are hit and run incidents. So perhaps because of that the choice's we have would be to A) use a technology that isn't ready yet "autonomous cars" or B) Ban them from driving early enough to prevent these type of incidents.

In charge of a motor vehicle after 75 should not be allowed. Full stop.

Andy, at 75 people have a special test plus a lesson plus the usual eye test.

If you investigate more closely, you will find that under 25s are more likely to have an accident than over 75s. Should all under 25s be banned from driving, full stop?

An old person in an accident is more newsworthy.

This accident happened in the city, but people including old people living in rural areas need personal transport such as a car as there is often a lack of public transport and shops in walking distance.

they have tennis tournaments for over 80 year olds (actually for over 85 as well). And I know a few, they are fitter and sharper than most of my 40 year old European friends.

But back to the topic, 2 am is late and probably pitch dark on the street, people are tired and quite often alcohol is involved. And indeed at 81, vision and reflexes are poorer, especially late at night. But this does not excuse the running away part. The second vehicle is extremely unlucky, because it is close to impossible to avoid hitting somebody lying down on the street in the dark, but he should have stayed and take his chances, even if the Japanese law would have find him guilty anyways. Running away, they just multiplied their fault

Forget the age and focus on what they did after…they both ran!

If you investigate more closely, you will find that under 25s are more likely to have an accident than over 75s. Should all under 25s be banned from driving, full stop?

This factually incorrect for Japan. Most accidents are caused by the elderly in Japan and it has been that way for years now. Part of the issue is that there are fewer young people in Japan now and also many of them do not want to drive. But the physically and mentally impaired mostly male but not exclusively so geriatrics in Japan continue to drive and Japan lets them do so. So other posters are correct, over 75 drivers should not be allowed behind the wheel unless they can rigorously prove their fitness to drive. Otherwise more and more people will get mowed down, in many instances kids, by these ancient impaired drivers.

It’s absolutely deplorable that BOTH drivers kept going!! Unthinkable!!! My heart goes out to the victim, her family and loved ones.

No 81 or 65 year olds driving round in my hood at 2am. All normal people sleep before 10pm. Even long distance truck drivers are snoozing in the combini carpark.

Were both drivers at the same nomikai? Crucially, were they breathalysed?

I can't think of anything else a real estate agent would be doing at that time of the morning.

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Was the crossing one where pedestrians must compete with vehicles on the same green light?

(This doesn't mitigate for the drivers, but exponentially increases the risk for pedestrians who, rather than cross when there are no cars, are forced by law to cross on that lethal green signal)

Shame on you, JGov., your moronic traffic signals are killing your future.

Some sobering road fatality stats from WHO (2016; per 100,000 of population):

Ireland - 4.1 (of which Pedestrians 19%; Cyclists 5%) 

Israel - 4.2 (of which Pedestrians 29%; Cyclists 3%)

Japan - 4.1 (of which Pedestrians 35%; Cyclists 15%)

Let's be careful out there.

Mickelicious, the vernacular press reported that it was a crossing without traffic lights, on a rather large (4 lanes) road. Not sure how dark at night.

Police said Kawaguchi and Nakaoka, who have been charged with dangerous driving resulting in death, have both denied the charge.

So, they deny the charge but do they deny hitting the woman? The semantics of this can be confusing: Hit-and-run, leaving the scene of an accident, failing to render first aid, possible drunk driving and more. RIP to the woman.

"Wasn't me; didn't do it".

Mickelicious, the vernacular press reported that it was a crossing without traffic lights, on a rather large (4 lanes) road. Not sure how dark at night.

Thanks, @timeon. These can be woefully underlit. At 2am they could have been doing expressway speeds.

an 81 year old should not be driving

not at 2am they shouldn’t

I passed, with flying colors, the test for 75-year-old drivers. But my wife and I have both given up driving, even though neither of us was ever involved in an accident. We simply didn’t want to bear the responsibility. Besides, we enjoy great bus and train service, here, by the way, in. Chiba.

So the criminals didn't tought there were cameras recording the street? Not had time for a moment of clarity of toughts to help the women after hitting her with their vehicles? And still claim their inocense? Horrible humans! And why are people always head down mattering their toughts and focus on their won business instead of interacting with their surroundings? Crossing car roads is dangerous, women walking alone at night is dangerous, driving at 80 years old os dangerous, is unreasonable to renovate the driving license to an 80 year old, the doctor that signed his test is stupid.

The fact that they both denied it knowing full and well they know they hit someone is crazy.