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An 84-year-old man, who crashed his car into a bus stop and then a university hospital building in Shimotsuke, Tochigi Prefecture, in November, killing one woman and injuring two other people, will be charged with dangerous driving resulting in death.
Police said they have been waiting for the driver, who was also injured in the accident, to recover before pressing charges, Fuji TV reported.
In the incident, the car first crashed into the bus stop just near the main entrance of Jichi Medical University Hospital at around 2 p.m. on Nov 10, killing an 89-year-old woman, Yaeko Wada, from Tokyo, who was sitting on a bench near the bus stop. The car kept going and then plowed into the hospital building entrance, injuring a 58-year-old woman and her 85-year-old mother from Saitama Prefecture.
Police said the man, who has not yet been named, told them he mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake when he reached out to put coins in the ticket payment machine as he left the hospital parking lot.
© Japan Today
8 Comments
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sensei258
Fast forward to suspended sentence, no judge will put an old man in jail
John-San
Nissan Make a car for elderly with voice recognition. It a small 2 seat electric pod which are under going use on Japan roads today. Design for local use with a top speed of 90kph with a 6 hour charge cycle and will not be allowed on tollway. Nissan have design a system where voice command and action are required. Like at the light you are have stopped. The light go green, you press the excelerator and say forward and it proceeds. The same with reverse. stopping occur when drive has heart failure and can determent danger and brakes. Nissan are trying to get the cost under 1.5 million yen. I have driven a one of the two models available to to public at Hanamaki station. Iwate. I would love for myself. I do think they will make a big heplful difference to the elderly mobility.
sir_bentley28
Very true, sensei258.
sensei258
They won't even do that. He'll probably just have to go to a driving safety class
John Michael White
The old "accelerator instead of the brake" trick.
A.N. Other
They won't send him to jail, but they could rip up his driving licence and take his car to the crusher in full view of him.
randomnator
I feel sorry for the driver as well as the victims. No ill intent and it was simply a mistake. Accidents happen through human error, this was an accident.
Aly Rustom
That's why we need self drive cars NOW!