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Police in Shiraoka, Saitama Prefecture, have arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of dangerous driving resulting in death after he hit a 66-year-old woman on a crossing.
According to police, the incident occurred at around 8 p.m. Saturday at a T-junction with no traffic lights. TV Asahi reported that the woman was walking on the crossing when a car driven by Atsushi Ogasawara hit her. Another pedestrian called 110.
The woman was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police said Ogasawara told them he was on his way home and made a right turn when he hit the woman. He was quoted as saying he didn’t see the woman until it was too late.
© Japan Today
9 Comments
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blue in green
Pedestrian crossings should not be left unregulated, as some pedestrians assume right of way, as do car drivers.
Traffic lights, with a “press button to cross” to change light for pedestrians, need to be installed in more areas.
Then, “I didn’t see her” is moot, if you ran a red light.
I personally don’t attempt a cross unless there is nothing coming, or the car stops first,
but not all do that.
RIP poor woman.
Padraig Bohannan
Cameras = big revenue = not dead = :)
Joe Blow
I've taken to occasionally turning on my phone's flashlight at night in these situations, so that I'm more visible. You could also wear some reflective clothing because God knows drivers aren't always being careful.
smithinjapan
Unless the woman literally stepped out in front of the car it seems his fault, even though T-intersections just beg for this kind of thing to happen. So poorly designed. The woman didn't necessarily do anything wrong crossing, and the man driving didn't necessarily do anything wrong simply turning. We all just have to be careful.
Pukey2
Pedestrian crossings serve no purpose in Japan. Hell, even traffic lights aren't obeyed a lot of the times.
kaimycahl
Ok I get it Ogasawara was on his way home and made a right turn when he hit the woman I would think the reason why he didn’t see the woman until it was too late because he was making a call or texting on his cellphone, how could he not see the women a right turn? The women dies so I would think he was turning also at a high rate of speed. A smart attorney would check his cellphone
Police said Ogasawara told them he was on his way home and made a right turn when he hit the woman. He was quoted as saying he didn’t see the woman until it was too late.
Joe Blow
This too; you have to assume the cars won't stop for you and play real-life Frogger.