No More Fallen Leaves For Japan’s Elderly Drivers

A couple years back, I posted about how elderly drivers in Japan were encouraged to place autumn leaf stickers on their automobiles. Some people didn’t particularly like the idea of using a tear-shaped symbol of decay, so it has now been replaced with a multi-colored leaf symbol (with an “S” for “senior” inside it):

The above news video reports on the first day that the new stickers went on sale. At one place they visited, over 50 were sold in that first day. One elderly man who had just bought a sticker said that he prefers the younger-looking design of the new leaf.

But not all elderly people like the idea of using the sticker. Even with the new design, they dislike having to broadcast to others that they are old and may not drive as well as younger people.

The report mentions that traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers are increasing, and some insurance companies are thinking about raising their rates for older age groups.

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awdawd

at least it was not a shape of a grave
Jordan

“A tear-shaped symbol of decay.” Brilliant. Hah. That’s exactly what it is.
iago

…and some insurance companies are thinking about raising their rates for older age groups.

Which they will all do at exactly the same time and by exactly the same amount…
Joe

Terrible case of discrimination. My father in-law’s seventy-two and drives a heck of a lot more safely than the boy-racer lunatics you see every day. And the arrogant middle-aged salary man types who think they own the road and that red lights don’t apply to them. If we’re going to have an “S” for seniors, we need an “I” for idiots too.

Chojiki

There are. They’re called Wakaba. They’re for the new drivers. It’s a green and yellow downward pointed elongated chevron.

Tora

Has anyone ever noticed that the senior driving seals are more money than the ones 1st year drivers have to use?

flowby

No. The　￥100 shops around here sell them all for ￥100.

And I think this is all another case of “the thin skinned” having too much worry-time on their hands.

All the years the autumn leaves have been used I never, not once ever, thought of these as defamatory in any way whatsoever. In fact I never thought anything about them until the media brought it to my attention

My father in law has been showing his for a few years and he said he never gave it another thought – except for the cost (he was advised to get from the rip-ooff license center.

His fears were allayed when we went together to the ￥100 shop.

People will see negativity in whatever they want to see it in.

Lord Metroid

I thought it was not only encourages but actually that the law required elderly people to have the withering leaf sticker on.

There is a young leaf sticker as well and it was my understanding that it is now required by law to wear on the car but new drivers are encouraged to do so.
islandview

I can barely make out the ‘S’ shape.
However, I do easily see a number ’8′ lying on top of another ’8′, thus 88, the average age of drivers?

No More Fallen Leaves For Japan’s Elderly Drivers

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