Elderly Drivers In Japan
Japanese authorities are concerned about ever-growing numbers of traffic accidents involving elderly drivers, which has led the Tokyo government to start a new campaign aimed at reducing the number of old people driving cars. Here’s a TBS news report about it:
The report starts by introducing Tokyo’s oldest driver’s license holder, Seichi Koyama. The 102-year-old is confident of his driving ability. However, several recent fatal traffic accidents that made the news were caused by elderly drivers and there were about 7,000 accidents involving drivers over the age of 65 in 2007 (2.6 times greater than 10 years ago).
The Tokyo government has enlisted the help of local businesses to provide discounts to elderly people who have turned in their driver’s licenses. Examples shown in the video include free shipping of goods purchased at department stores, a 10% discount on Domino’s Pizza deliveries, and a 10% discount at expensive hotel restaurants. It is unclear how many of Tokyo’s 760,000 elderly drivers will accept the offer.
More details can be found in an Asahi Shinbun report:
Senior citizens who surrender their driver’s licenses will be eligible for discounts at 37 businesses in Tokyo, an incentive police hope will reduce fatal traffic accidents involving elderly motorists.
Hotels, restaurants and amusement parks are on board for the system starting April 1, Metropolitan Police Department officials said.
Police officials said it is likely the first time that various businesses have joined hands for such an endeavor.
The MPD has been campaigning to retrieve driver’s licenses from elderly drivers following revisions to the Road Traffic Law in 1998, but to little avail.
This time, police hope a financial incentive will do the trick.
For example, those who give up their licenses and receive identification certificates will be eligible for 10 percent off the bill when they dine at restaurants run by the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward.
Or, they will be able to purchase a book of 10 ride tickets at the Asakusa Hanayashiki amusement park in Taito Ward, for 700 yen, 300 yen cheaper than the normal rate of 1,000 yen.
Many elderly citizens are concerned that if they surrender their licenses, they would lose one of their most recognized forms of identification.
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It won’t be much longer before your car does most of the driving for you. I’m sure the big motor companies are working away on elderly-friendly cars as I write this!
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Yup, eldery Japanese who grew up before the war just love pizza. Can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve seen an old Grand-dad chowing down on a Domino’s. It’s hard to start counting when you end at zero….
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I think pensioners in Japan DO get free public transport in some form.
But it’s a simple problem, retesting EVERYONE would be agood, but too expensive. Retesting seniors would be cheaper. How about linking medical databases (seniors get almost free healthcare now, and it IS controlled by the govt.) to the driver’s license center? “Doctor Y says Mr. X is not fit to drive.”
But, since seniors control the vote, and thus the politicians, does anyone think steps will really be taken? The only hope is the insurance companies force the issue.
10% off pizza for seniors is just fucking silly.
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When I get old I don’t want to drive. I want someone to drive me around.
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Hmmmm….
How many people get to be 102 by eating pizza? And how many people who would be able to make good use of a discount at Imperial Hotel restaurants actually drive themselves around?
Still, if it increases the number of pensioners riding rollercoasters, it can’t be all bad…
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“It won’t be much longer before your car does most of the driving for you. I’m sure the big motor companies are working away on elderly-friendly cars as I write this!”
I’m with Nick on this. Sure hope it’s sooner rather than later.
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I’ve seen elderly people driving against traffic. It was probably the only time I heard several drivers use their horns at the same time. Everyone on the sidewalk was whispering “Abunai…”
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If old people don’t drive their cars, are they going to walk? No…of course not, they’re going to take the bus; so give them the use of one. It has always seemed to me that the sensible thing would be to give free bus passes to all people over 65 to begin the process of encouraging them to use public transit instead of their private cars. Don’t wait till they’re 75 or 80 – that’s much too late to start learning new tricks. If I were being asked to give up my driving license, I’d want something equal in exchange not offers I may never use. A free bus pass would be the closest thing to having a private car and the most obvious alternative. Why don’t people have the sense to see that? I’ve been beating my head against this particular wall for about 30 years trying to get people to realize that now the automobile is 100, so are some of the people driving and carnage on the roads is going to happen as more and more people reach their dotage. Can anyone explain to me why human beings are so stupid!
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