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The 71-year-old driver of a taxi was arrested Tuesday after his vehicle hit a group of people outside the entrance of the Hilton Tokyo hotel in Shinjuku.
According to police, the incident occurred at around 11 a.m. The driver was quoted by police as saying he brought some passengers to the hotel, Sankei Shimbun reported. When he got out of the taxi to open the trunk, the taxi started moving forward. He got back into the driver's seat and mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake.
Four people suffered serious injuries -- three women aged 26, 55 and 60, and a man aged 58. They were taken to hospital and are in a stable condition, police said, adding that the driver has been charged with reckless driving resulting in injury.
© Japan Today
20 Comments
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Disillusioned
Maybe not too old to drive, but too old to be driving a taxi.
smithinjapan
Add this to yesterday's question about whether to not there should be an age-limit on driving.
Fapster
again! strip him of his license, cut his pension and put him in jail for 1 year. there really needs to be heavier penalties, time someone was made an example of. awful
Kobe White Bar Owner
Not sure about the rest of Japan but here in Kobe it looks like its the law to be over 65 to drive a taxi.
Wakarimasen
Shouldn't be driving a taxi at 71. Still, accidents happen.
Cricky
71, and that's ok, should be pottering in the garden not driving professionally. He it at that age where a career as a politician is more appropriate.
papigiulio
Perhaps they are usually retired people trying to make an extra income? Thats why you never (personally I have never seen) see a young driver.
Daniel Naumoff
Why??? X-files music intensifies Age.
Monozuki
It was a blessed relief that there were no deaths among the unlucky group of people. Hope they get back on their feet ASAP.
scoobydoo
kohakuebisu
Yeah, bad timing with all the talk of old people causing accidents.
I hope everyone gets well soon!
Chop Chop
Poor man, he can not retire even in his 71. Now he can retire in the jail. I hope all of his victims will recover rapidly. That accident was not about age and everyone can make mistake in that kind of situation. Thanks God no one was died in accident. .
gubijin
I notice this a lot about entrances to hotels, but some don't have a step up or down from the walkway. i.e. the driveway blends into the walkway, and I always thought this is dangerous. I don't know how Hilton Tokyo is designed, but a car could plow straight into guests waiting for cabs or their rides. Some hotels put large planters in the waiting area to lessen the blow.
Mirai Hayashi
Too old drive? Depends on the driver. Too old to drive professionally? Yes! There needs to be some bounds of reason who can drive taxis and heavy equipment.
Jalapeno
Confusing the accelerator with the brake? Sure, I do that all the time.
Fapster
despite his age, he endangered lives and needs to be severely punished.
sir_bentley28
smithinjapan, I commented on this saying that people above the age of 70 who want to drive should be given a monthly drivers licenses after taking a newly revised test. If they fail, no DL for the rest of the month. But everyone thought that was a bad idea and disliked it.
A.N. Other
Wouldn't happen if Japanese convention was to drive manual transmission cars.