Fatal accidents by elderly drivers in Japan rise in 2022 for 2nd year

TOKYO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The number of fatal traffic accidents caused by drivers aged 75 or over in Japan in 2022 grew by 33 cases from the preceding year to 379, increasing for the second straight year as the country faces rapid population aging, police data showed Thursday.

National Police Agency (NPA) data showed that of all fatal traffic accidents last year, those involving elderly drivers accounted for 16.7 percent, up from 15.1 percent in 2021 and the highest since comparable data became available in 1986.

Of the 379 fatal automobile accidents, 30.1 percent were caused by driving errors such as the driver mistakenly stepping on the accelerator instead of the brake, according to the NPA.

The number of fatal traffic accidents per 100,000 elderly people with driver's licenses came to 5.7, more than double 2.5 per 100,000 drivers aged under 75, the data showed.

The NPA estimates that one of the reasons behind the rise is an increase in the population of people aged 75 or over with driver's licenses.

Those born between 1947 and 1949, or first baby boomers, have started to reach 75. The population stood at some 6.67 million in 2022.