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Car crash victim dies after paramedics, police fail to notice her

26 Comments

Paramedics and police at the scene of a traffic accident in Shimane have come under fire for failing to notice an injured woman who later died.

According to police, Ryoko Tabara was in one of five vehicles that were involved in a pile-up on a national highway in Masuda on Wednesday night. TBS reported that Tabara was thrown into the rear seat footwell where she went unnoticed by police and paramedics at the scene and was only discovered when her husband came to inquire after her well-being. She was discovered two and a half hours later and taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead, police said.

Police say that another woman who was in the car with Tabara at the time of the incident, one of two people who were transported to hospital, was not able to speak when the paramedics arrived at the scene. An investigation is underway into the circumstances leading up to the oversight.

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26 Comments
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What's the matter with these emergency people? Don't they search the cars? What if there'd been kids? They could easily roll under the seat. Poor woman.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

Oh, dear. They didn't do their jobs very well, did they? That might be forgivable if they were office drones but lives depend on their being thorough.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

No surprise, really.

And how did she get thrown into the rear foot well with her seatbelt on?

16 ( +18 / -2 )

They probably don't have "check the back seat floor for victims" on their checklist, so they'll "review" this, find it "went according to procedure," that it is very "regrettable" and they are eyeing updating their policy at some point in the future.

This is what you get when you build an army of mindless robots that can do no more, no less than follow explicit instructions.

An investigation is underway into the circumstances leading up to the oversight.

Oversight. Tell that to the husband.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

smith: I'm pretty sure that we can assume that she wasn't wearing one like half of the people here.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

It seems to me that Smith's point was WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT. They never emphasized that Princess Diana and her boy friend would probably both be alive today if they were wearing their belts. Is it not strange that the bodyguard allowed a supposedly drunken man to drive?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Smith, I was about to say that you were one cold hearted soul...until I read your next sentence.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Amadalism: I was being sarcastic. She obviously wasn't wearing one.

Devil'sAdvocate: the "not surprised" was directed towards police ineptitude, not the death of the woman--though she should indeed have worn a belt.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Smith, any way you read it deserved a thumbs-up from me

3 ( +4 / -1 )

"Oversight" is a wee bit too much of an understatement for possible negligence isn't it?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

This car was a yellow plate small vehicle. Always wear your seat belts unless you prefer an ejection seat.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/videonews/ann?a=20131018-00000029-ann-soci

1 ( +1 / -0 )

From the video it looks more like she would have been in the back seat, which wouldn't excuse not using the seat belt - if these smaller cars also have them in the back.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

they didnt notice someone for two and a half hours!?!?!?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

This is nothing more than paid professionals NOT doing the job they were hired to do.

Each and every one of those, so called, professionals should be 'FIRED' for refusing to do what they are getting paid to do.

More than likely what happened is once there they got into their 'good-old-boys-group and just yhad 2 1/2 of telling stories.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Someone has already mentioned it here, but I will amplify the statement of checking the floorboards of crashed vehicles, because I as a former law enforcement officer in most instances that’s where we would find small children and infants after an accident.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Those small yellow plate cars are all death traps. I heard of a case where the engine crushed a driver. You rarely stand a chance.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Well said, Jack Stern. The sooner Kei jodousha are discontinued, the better. France did it with the death trap 2CV - Japan can do it too.

Oh, and stiff penalties for (and proper policing of) not wearing seat belts, please!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Definitely need to wear seat belts. But that's no excuse for the rescue people not finding her.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I don't think that the yellow plate cars should be completely discontinued because they are a good option for limiting the pollution in big cities due to their very low gas consumption. These cars are really only for driving in cities and their vicinities and they are useful for people wishing low gasoline cost.

The problem is that people are stupid and they think they can just drive them anywhere like any other car. They are quite weak for sure (but still better than a 2CV come on) and I think they should be forbidden in highways or in dangerous roads like mountain roads. They are simply not designed for long drives in highways. And then you see some stupid people doing crazy things with them. Five days ago I was in the highway and a driver (yes old dude) in a yellow plate car was running very slow on the right lane and was refusing to come back to the left lane. It's only after I tooted at him several times that he decided to move.

Those cars belong to what they are designed for, cities. And stupid drivers shouldn't be allowed to drive them anywhere else.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I think they should be forbidden in highways or in dangerous roads like mountain roads. They are simply not designed for long drives in highways. And then you see some stupid people doing crazy things with them. Five days ago I was in the highway and a driver (yes old dude) in a yellow plate car was running very slow on the right lane and was refusing to come back to the left lane. It's only after I tooted at him several times that he decided to move.

People drive these cars hell-for-leather - the only way to get any momentum is to floor them. They then graduate to larger cars and continue the same behavior.

As you say yourself, they're a fecking menace. Recycle them all. We need a new fridge!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

smith: I'm pretty sure that we can assume that she wasn't wearing one like half of the people here.

Half the people where?

I see more people using seatbelts here than I ever did in the U.S.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Oversight. Tell that to the husband.

Actually, this was an "oversight" in the purest meaning of the word.

Each and every one of those, so called, professionals should be 'FIRED' for refusing to do what they are getting paid to do.

Just wondering how it is that you know that they "refused" to do anything?

Oh, and stiff penalties for (and proper policing of) not wearing seat belts, please!

It seems to me this woman suffered the ultimate "penalty" for not wearing her seat belt. But on the other hand (based on the images of the car), had she been wearing the seat belt she might have been killed instantly when the back of the vehicle suddenly occupied the space her body had been only a split second before. The collision pushed her more forward than the seat belt would have allowed had she been properly restrained. I guess the point is moot because she was not found in time to save her life.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I think many of the commenter above do not live here in Japan.

With small parking spaces and high tax on big cars most people can't afford big cars. Also they suck for the environment.

Police is very strict when it comes to seat belts. My wife got 1 point on her license and a fine for a passenger in the back not wearing it correctly. Few points means goodbye license.

To me this is an emergency staff fault. Only 5 cars. Check front and back would have taken only a few minutes. Someone dropped the ball. Should they be fired? No, reprimanded and retraining sounds much more sensible.

Also she did not deserve to die because she did not wear a seatbelt. No one deserves to die.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Unbelievable!! These useless police! Useless fools who work as ambulance drivers! They all need a good old fashioned horse whipping!! Poor woman! RIP

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Gerard van Schip,

It's true that many people have spaces in front of their houses that will fit a kei and little else. The Euro NCAP 5 star Toyota IQ is a perfect solution. Size doesn't need to determine safety.

Police is very strict when it comes to seat belts.

A lot of your fellow posters might disagree. Every day we see unrestrained kids jumping around in cars while their parents are wearing seat belts. The issue is grossly under-policed.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Elbuda Mexicano: Unbelievable!! These useless police! Useless fools who work as ambulance drivers! They all need a good old fashioned horse whipping!! Poor woman! RIP

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that your solution is violence but seriously, is that your answer to everything?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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