Road accident deaths in Japan fall to record low in 2020

the government's target, set in 2016 for 2020 and onward, of a figure below 2,500.

why not target zero?

why not target zero?

because you need to set realistic targets. 0 is not realistic.

Possibly due in part to the elderly staying indoors.

Zero is not realistic, like zero infected with covid

Unrealistic because we aren't perfect beings. Accidents does happen and sometimes people does have bad luck. Whether it's the weather, a human error or having certain car trouble etc. In a nation of more than a 100mill people, having such low numbers is already considered to be really good.

An atypical year, so the number doesn't mean much.

Cars are getting safer and safer, so it is possible to have more accidents but fewer deaths, the headline number here. Non-fatal accidents can still be very serious.

I just bought a new vehicle and it gives a loud beep warning when I need to brake suddenly. Sometimes it goes off an the wrong time, but generally its saved me a couple times from rear ending someone. I'm sure the pandemic has kept a lot of the older folks that shouldn't be driving at home, but at the same time, I see almost everyone texting and driving. I imagine these numbers will go back up.

In a nation of more than a 100mill people, having such low numbers is already considered to be really good.

Ireland and the UK fare much better considering the numbers commuting and doing school runs by car.

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.TRAF.P5?most_recent_value_desc=false

Japan could easily lead the world by introducing:

Red light cameras.

Traffic light phasing that discontinues the moronic practice of pedestrians having to compete with drivers turning left or right.

Proactive policing: stop and fine people whose behaviour and accessories impede concentration and visibility.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_Japan_by_year

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14083352

So it went from 3215 to 2839, so a drop of 376 or around 11%.

Thought the method of counting seems strange :

https://thetaiwantimes.com/japans-annual-traffic-deaths-hit-record-low-in-2020-or-perhaps-not/

Road accident deaths in Japan fall to record low in 2020

Why? People actually started LOOKING AT THE ROAD, instead of any where else? Like they usually do?

or did they finally put down their phones?

I know it wasn’t from actually learning how to properly drive. That would be un-possible.

Thanks, Flute. Let's actually post that important insurer-driven massaging of the figures:

Figures being reported were routinely at or near the 10,000 mark – three times higher than now.

Then, suddenly, they plunged by around 60%.

Few at the time were aware that this was largely down to the method in how to include traffic ‘related‘ deaths in overall numbers, and that only those who had died within 24 hours of an accident taking place were actually being factored in: all on the advice of a prominent insurance company.

Those dying after the 24 hour period had expired, in hospitals or suddenly after having been allowed to go home, were categorised as having lost their lives through other means; heart or organ failure etc – methods that can be contested by insurance companies, and typically carrier lower payouts than sudden accidental death if proven hereditary or untreated.

Be careful out there – wherever you are.

I wonder which insurance company it was (not that corporatist libel laws promote truth telling).

Would think it is also something to do with auto-braking systems but maybe not?

The effect is obviously expected, not only because less people means less accidents, but also because less people on the road makes driving safer and easier.

In the UK there was a large decrease in car related accidents, this is atributed to lockdown measures that were impossed on us and the number of car on the roads drematicly dropped, so I can agree with the above article, but to reduce road accents even further the J goverment should introduce red light cameras, this should reduce accidents by hit and run, red light jumpers. the cameras would take a pictuer of the red light jumpers and a fine will be sent to the car owner home, this should give people a wake up call and this should reduce accidents further. The upside to the decreased number of cars on the roads is that there is a drop in car accidents, the insurance companies profits will go up as there not having to pay out to repaire damaged cars, but synicle me thinks my premiums will still go up this year!

Except for the 1st state of emergency the road traffic has not gone down in the past year in Tokyo. If anything it’s gone up due to more car share cars on the road.

The only infractions I see taken seriously by cops in Tokyo are crossing solid lines and parking.