The National Police Agency said Wednesday that 104 people died in road traffic accidents during this year's Obon season from Aug 10 to Aug 19. The NPA said the number was the lowest since records began 40 years ago, TV Asahi reported.
Last year, 129 deaths were reported during the same 10-day period, during which people traditionally return to ancestral family homes and visit their ancestors' graves.
The NPA added that the highest number of deaths occurred in Niigata Prefecture, where six people were killed. This was followed by Hokkaido, Miyagi, Saitama, Chiba, Aichi and Fukuoka, which each saw five fatalities.
Of the deceased, 47 were in cars at the time of death, an increase of 11 on last year. Twenty-five of the deceased were pedestrians, a 50% reduction on last year's figure. The number of people riding motorbikes or bicycles at the time of death was reportedly 31, a 22% decrease on last year's statistic.
The NPA also reported that this year, just seven people died in accidents they caused while driving drunk.
© Japan Today
18 Comments
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cl400
This doesn't surprise me. I know road fatalities are always bad during holidays seasons (all around the world), but when I rode my motorbike during Obon this year I had numerous close calls with car drivers rushing to the next red light, only for me to pass them again up the middle. The 'one vehicle per lane' rule doesn't seem to apply or be enforced by the police enough where I live. Very sad to see the stats though, especially of those on bikes and pedestrians.
pumpkin31526
I was almost a fatality whilst crossing a junction with traffic signals. A small truck totally ignored the red light as I crossed the junction, two cars had already passed me when the truck hit me on my bike...all I remember was seeing a blue wall out of the corner of my eye..next I was hit and bounced onto the road...other drivers stopped and took care of me while police and ambulance arrived...I was lucky, no broken bones only bruises and scrapes. Summer heat...summer madness...crazy red light runners have no respect for any other road users.
torosushi
glad u are ok, pumpkin31526A
Marlin Hughes
Life goes on even though it is tragic for the families that lost a member.
CrazyJoe
Although it's very saddening to here of these traffic accident fatalities, what's surprising is that only one fatality was actually attributed to the Obon holiday. (帰省が関係した交通事故による死者数は1件).
Get Real
Great to see that fatalities are at a record low. Still 104 preventable tragedies, though.
papigiulio
WIth the lack of roadmanners you'd expect the number to increase every year, I wonder if these stats are correct.
tmarie
How many died after the 24 hour period so they weren't included in these stats?
gogogo
How many could have been prevented by people wearing seat belts, still can't understand why people in Japan don't wear seatbelts in cars and let their kids run and play all over the car.
Jonathan Prin
I will really be cautious while riding my bike next time. Those figures are frightening for cyclists !
smithinjapan
I'm glad it was a reduction, but still 104 fatalities in over just a few days. What's the normal rate for a week?
lucabrasi
Why?
tmarie
Because there are more cars on the road, more elderly drivers and faster cars lucabrasi.
roylance.norton
The average rate of road traffic fatalities in Japan is 34 a day.
Nessie
They should correct for the number of drivers. I suspect the number of drivers is going down, with oldsters retiring from the pool.
lucabrasi
@tmarie
Thanks. That changes the case, though ; )
yokohamarides
25 killed by automobiles while walking - in just a week!
It is interesting how these deaths are, for the most part, ignored, while every minor accident caused by a cyclist is treated as a huge outrage.