Abstract: The situation of road traffic accidents in Japan remains serious. In order to tackle the situation, Japan has been actively implementing initiatives to improve motor vehicle safety such as reinforcing safety regulations, new car assessment program (NCAP) and promoting advanced safety vehicle (ASV) project. Japan has also been promoting activities under the world forum for the harmonization of vehicle regulations (WP29) to facilitate the international harmonization of motor vehicle regulations and the mutual recognition of certification. TRENDS OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN JAPAN The annual number of traffic accident fatalities in Japan where people died within 24 hours of an accident hit a peak of 16,765 in 1970, and then started to steadily decrease in the next year, dropping by almost half to 8,466 in 1979. Later, the number took an upward turn and recorded 11,451 in 1992, and then again turned downward in the next year, declining by more than half of the number in 1970 to 8,326 in 2002. The number of fatalities in 2006 was as small as 6,352. However, both the number of casualties and the number of traffic accidents have been increasing on a nearly consistent basis since 1978. In 2006, these numbers decreased to 1,097,591 persons and 886,703 cases respectively, but still remained at a high level. The following are the characteristics of fatal road accidents in recent years: ・ A continuing large number of elderly fatalities at the age of 65 or older is observed, accounting for about 40% of the total fatalities. Of those elderly victims, more than 60% were involved in a fatal accident while walking or riding a bicycle. Also, the number of fatal accidents involving elderly drivers has been increasing. ・ The number of young fatalities ranging from 16 to 24 years of age has been significantly decreasing. Especially, the decrease of the death of automobile occupants is remarkable. ・ When compared with the United States and European countries, the ratio of pedestrian fatalities to all fatalities is higher in Japan. As for the international comparison of the number of 30-day fatalities per 100,000 population, 0 4,000 8,000 12,000 16,000 20,000 24,000 19 46 19 51 19 56 19 61 19 66 19 71 19 76 19 81 19 86 19 91 19 96 20 01 20 06 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 N o. o f f at al iti es N os . o f a cc id en ts , i nj ur ed a nd
Publication Year: 2007
Publication Date: 2007-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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