It seems every few days the news reports on an elderly driver doing something incredibly dangerous, with the cause often being that they mistook the accelerator for the brake pedal.
A recent incident happened in Hokkaido on June 13, when a driver in her 90s accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake and drove out of a parking lot into the street where she hit another car and then hopped a curb and embankment to crash into the side of a Starbucks. Luckily, no one was injured.
▼ A news report on the crash.
It’s certainly not a new problem, and prefectural governments have started efforts such as making license renewals stricter for seniors by including cognitive tests. Most prefectures also have license graduation systems where the elderly can voluntarily surrender their driver’s licenses for certain benefits like discounts on taxis and public transportation.
According to U.N. estimates, nearly one in ten licensed drivers in Japan is over 75 years old. Perhaps because the rate of Japan’s population aging is outpacing these efforts, little seems to have changed and storefronts continue to get smashed in by people getting their left and right mixed up.
So, on June 17, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced that it would become mandatory for all automatic passenger cars made after 1 September 2028 in Japan to have an “acceleration pedal misapplication prevention system” installed. Imported cars will also require it from September 1, 2029.
An acceleration pedal misapplication prevention system is a safety feature in cars that will dull a vehicle’s ability to suddenly accelerate unless the driver performs certain actions that suggest they know what they’re doing, like recently pressing the brake pedal, going uphill, or using a turn signal. Toyota already has it as a feature that can be turned on in their cars.
▼ An explanation video of Toyota’s Acceleration Suppression System
While that may help matters when implemented, issues with elderly drivers are not limited to mistaking the brake and accelerator. On June 11, a 99-year-old driver got into a collision when driving at 20 kilometers per hour the wrong way through the tunnel of a major highway and injured the leg of another motorist in his 40s.
▼ A news report on the crash
Despite the age of the driver at fault, he was said to have passed his renewal examinations, including the cognitive test. Prominent writer, psychiatrist, and clinical psychologist Hideki Wada recently said that he believes the problem isn’t the age of the drivers but the side effects of the medication they take that’s been affecting their mental faculties, adding that this isn’t mentioned in news reports because pharmaceutical companies often sponsor television news programs.
Perhaps, taking a closer look at the medications, and especially combinations of medications, that elderly drivers are taking could also help judge their ability better than cognitive tests, but the fundamental problems remain. And while it continues to threaten everyone on the roads we’ll need to tackle it from all available angles, including technology.
Sources: Car Watch, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, President Online, Toyota, UNECE
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- Elderly motorists in Japan given option to “graduate from driving” to prevent accidents
-- City in Nagano offers super cheap taxi fares to seniors who give up licenses and disabled people
-- Aichi Police: Surrender your driver’s license and get up to $1 off at McDonald’s!
© SoraNews24
20 Comments
Login to comment
Negative Nancy
A 99-year old shoulld not be driving, but I totally understand the dramatic loss of independence associted with giving up a car, especialy when you can't walk far.
Its been a while, but do manual cars have this problem too? I think the acceleration is much slower in first gear.
mikeylikesit
Or…we could maybe stop giving drivers licenses to people in their 80s and 90s?
Maintaining independence in old age is important, but reality is that all people at that age have slowed physically and mentally. A few may still be capable of driving safely. Many are confused easily and react slowly. If they and their loved ones cannot say, “It’s time to stop driving,” maybe a government office needs to deliver the news. A cute sticker of a leaf changing color voluntarily put on cars doesn’t stop accidents.
Garlic eater
One of the hazards of living in Japan. I have noticed many of the smaller roads in Tokyo essentially have no traffic regulations at all. Pedestrians, bicycles and trucks mingle randomly, so having cars flying in random directions is another manifestation of the chaos.
888naff
In car-centric Japan, they haven't built up many good alternatives or thought outside of the box (the car box /s).
Forgetting in the first place drivers are licensed for a reason guest in the public space.
Subsided too, so no reason along with a healthier society and myriad of other reasons and external cost, not to do better real alternatives.
Fighto!
Looking at the photo, it seems that he has just hit someone.
This is welcome technology. Problem is, many elderly drivers are still driving older cars without this tech.
sakurasuki
The question is why Japan letting those elders driving?
When a foreigners use a lenience to get driving license conversion without having residential address in Japan when accidents happen, is all over the news headline.
However when accident happen by elders, it just another routine news.
Harry_Gatto
For those of you who are unaware, renewing a driving licence when over 75 requires passing a dementia test, driving test, eye test including peripheral vision check and a safety lecture. If passed then the new licence is valid for 3 years.
Vlad.P.Suxkokov
Looks like Gi Gi just speed bumped a group of preschoolers in his rush to the neighbhood yak meeting. No worries he can just claim 'the car malfunctioned' and walk scott free since he has voted LDP the last 40 yrs or so. Japan is grrrrreat.
SuKaPHAT1
For those asking 'Why is an 80-90 yr old allowed to drive' the answer is LDP. The LDP stronghold on todays Japanese politics is founded, based on the elderly voting block. The LDP obviously panders and drafts policies to benefit the elderly voters even at the detriment, inconvenience and safety of the rest of the country. Its ironic in some prefectures walking on an an escalator isn't allowed/discouraged because its 'dangerous' to the handicapped, elderly, disabled etc.... yet 80-90 yr old depends wearing incontinent dolts are allowed to drive motor vehicles. Hmmmm
Speed
Great. Every single car, whether you want this tech or not, just got a few thousand dollars more expensive.
Also, what if you really do need to hit the accelerator quickly? Is it going go into slow-mo mode? I had to hit the gas the other week to cross this really busy intersection since none of the cars coming from the left and right were yielding.
Luis David Yanez
The cognitive tests are a joke; they test if someone has deep dementia but fails horribly to detect someone who just started to show signs of dementia.
Not only that, but dementia can also appear and develop to the point that it is dangerous for others in way less than 3 years.
Cephus
"Looks like Gi Gi just speed bumped a group of preschoolers in his rush to the neighbhood yak meeting. No worries he can just claim 'the car malfunctioned' and walk scott free since he has voted LDP the last 40 yrs or so. Japan is grrrrreat."
Not every issue is about politics, grow up people!!
wallace
An 83-year-old friend was just retested and passed all the requirements. It was his doctor who told him never to drive again.
carp_boya
This “acceleration pedal misapplication prevention system” might work - I stress “might” - but why are people in their 90s driving cars? It’s absolutely terrifying that my kids and their friends walk to and from school every day on streets where any elderly person might accidentally slam the accelerator and plow into people.
Hello Kitty 321
One reason why old people continue to drive is that in the countryside there is no alternative.
Fighto!
Obviously it's not only Japanese elderly who are a real menace behind the wheel.
An 81 year old Italian has been detained today in Rome - for accidentally driving down the Spanish Steps!
Harry_Gatto
Seems that younger drivers in Japan are perfect drivers and never cause accidents.
MiuraAnjin
Basically no. A manual driver who wants to brake hard will simultaneously dump the clutch. If they floor the accelerator by mistake the engine will rev. embarrassingly loudly but that is all.
grc
Think of all those US cars exported to Japan having to have this system fitted from 2029. Yet another barrier to the Japan car market
vallum
'All NEW cars...' should be the headline.
Won't change much, I suppose. I don't think many people 70 years old and above buy new cars. They probably prefer to stick to their beloved cars.