Gov't panel proposes limits on driver's license for elderly

About time to prevent more tragedies. Driving is a responsibility, not a privilege. The older you grow, the harder it becomes to keep upholding it...

It only took them that many lives to start discussing it.

Depends entirely on the person however. The aging population in rural areas probably don't have the money to buy specific cars.

I think the regularity and degree of testing should increase for sure, but absolute limits are.. I'm not sure the right thing.

this is why japan should accelerate autonomous driving and become the world leader in it. the elderly in japan will acount for over 30% of the population soon so the # of accidents will skyrocket. i'm not sure if forcing them to buy a new car with the auto-braking system is the solution, though.

Wonderful news , I trust they will also look at drivers who acquired their licensed in countries that drive on the wrong side of the road

A government panel... proposed introducing a restricted driver's license for the elderly

Better late than never!!

Aside from the autonomous car pipe dream, how does the government plan on keeping these older citizens mobile after taking away their cars?

The autonomous car will not take off - successfully. There will be accidents, and people will want to blame someone. That "someone" will be the company that manufactured the car. They are "driving" - not the passengers. After a few costly lawsuits, they will stop selling the cars, or demand legislation that requires an alert (and licensed) driver behind the wheel - just in case - so they will not be liable for anything. And, the old people will not have a license, so there you are.

Taking away driver's licenses from elderly people will speed up the hallowing out of Japan's countryside towns as people will have no choice but to move to more populated areas with some kind of public transit system.

There are silver passes for pensioners, bassically mostly free rides.

With death hovering on your shoulder some checks and balances are appropriate. This panel of old people made a decision, (names not given) are driven around at tax payers expense and have no idea of their motor skills. Nor do they have the inconvenience of waiting for a bus.

This should be automatic world wide in Australia you need a doctors certificate and a review driving test yearly then every 6 months

Who tests the youngsters, etc.

Check who the insurance companies consider high-risk(high premiums).

Japanese govt can't discriminate people, by age, or by sex. Having said that, technology is changing. To impose safety measure is a wise move. But the govt has to pay for that. As suggested by pacint, the gansters has to be paid as well as a balanced policy.

This paper, although dated(1993 ~ 2003), makes interesting reading - http://www.css.risk.tsukuba.ac.jp/kashin/papers/5/IPC13-sekine.pdf

The paper, which is entitled "Analysis of Accidents by Older Drivers in Japan" by Kazumoto Morita, Michiaki Sekine of National Traffic Safety and Environment Laboratory, Japan,  has some interesting but also some questionable conclusions. The Authors are aware of that and describe some of their conclusions about older drivers as conjecture.

Fig 4 of this paper looks at the number of accidents per year for three groups of people. Young (16-24) Middle Aged (40-49) Old (65 years and older)...

Bear in mind that the 65 year old group steadily increased in a straight line since 1993 ~ 2003 whilst the younger drivers steadily decreased along with a not so dramatic drop in middle aged drivers. The accident rate for young people is twice the rate of old and middle aged people. By 2003 the middle aged group and the old age group was about the same.

There appears not to have been any consideration of the steady increase in old drivers which doubled over the same period.

The accident rates for young people has increased at the same rate as the middle aged and old aged people but their numbers have decreased from 10,000,000 to 8,000,000 and the middle aged from a high of about 16,000,000 to the 2003 level of 14,000,000 whilst old people increased from 4,000,000 to 10,000,000. No correction factors have been applied.

The conclusions are quite clear.

1 - Accident rate is increasing for all groups.

2 - The group that is by far the safest is the old group as although their numbers have doubled their accident rate is no greater than middle aged drivers.

3 - The groups that have the problems are the young and the middle aged.

Why is the accident rate increasing steadily for all groups. The answer is probably to do with the performance improvement in cars between 1993 and 2003. This was not considered. Drivers in 2003 likely traveled faster than they did in 1993 as engine power output and ride comfort increased.

There is also the introduction of mobile phones over that period - not considered.

Targeting old people, who are clearly, from the data the safest group of drivers for much more stringent controls seems counter-intuitive when compared to middle aged drivers they are as safe or safer drivers and as for young people...well they are statistically twice as dangerous as the other groups.

Older drivers considering their increasing numbers is statistically contributing far less and the numbers of accidents per capita are actually declining in the contribution to the National Accident rates...by a lot...actually down by 45% in the same period if correction is applied.

The sooner AI computer driven cars are introduced for all driving the better.

Arguments that they will not be introduced due to concerns about liability claims will not be a problem once Insurance Companies refuse to insure human drivers. Autopilots in aircraft have had failures over the years and yet they are universal because they are usually safer than human pilots.

Perhaps invest more in Automated Driving ?

Yeah, ok, but how about helping these people out with alternatives. Bus and train passes and discounts on taxis, I agree that drivers over 75 should be closer scrutinized over their driving abilities, but he government should also be providing alternative transport for them.

However, on the other hand, elderly drivers only account for 7% of fatal accidents on Japanese roads. They shouldn't be only focusing on the minority of dangerous drivers. There are far more danderous drivers on the roads on Japanese drivers than the elderly.

agree with pacint. everybody knows there is an increasing elderly population. just ramp up public transport.

Ron BarnesJune 30  08:41 pm JST

This should be automatic world wide in Australia you need a doctors certificate and a review driving test yearly then every 6 months

Australia is after 85 every 12 months. http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/renew-my-drivers-licence-seniors-85-plus.asp

In the city it is easer to catch a bus, train or taxi. Free (or cheaper) passes would seem to offer a logical alternative for old people to get around.

In the countryside public transport is minimal, and with very few passengers using it, ongoing cutbacks are an unavoidable reality.

Where I live we have no trains. For people who are physically mobile, there is an easy 10-minute walk to the bus stop with one bus an hour when we are lucky, and we are lucky. This place is close to a large city. The whole vast countryside lies behind and above us. Taking away the cars would drain the hinterland of old folk. Automatic emergency braking systems seem to be among realistic emerging technology.

You might for example receive a notice in the post saying "You are 70 years old, congratulations! Within three years (at age 73) your license will limit you to cars fitted with an emergency auto braking system."

In this case I would agree with implementation of such a system.

Free bus passes for the elderly, like we have in the UK.

in cities in japan, around 65 years is free.

I think Dave is spot on here. The numbers say younger drivers are more dangerous.

In any case, there will be too much public resistance to any laws that try to limit elderly people from driving - the old people will outnumber everyone else!

The only reason we're seeing the old-person-drives-car-through-storefront news is because it's sensational.