Drunk driver plows into line of cars, killing one motorist

As I've said before, drunk drivers aren't driving their vehicle, they're aiming it.

Despite the extremely severe penalties for drink driving in Japan it is still more prevalent than the cops would ever admit. The J-Flops' 'Random' Breath Tests are far from random at all. They are seasonal and cyclic and totally predictable. They hit the same place at the same time every year. The rest of the year it is pretty much an open slate for drink drivers. As I have said many times before, "Gambling is illegal in Japan, until you get on the roads! Then, you gamble with your life!"

Police said three of the cars caught fire following the crash.

Huh? This is very weird, unless they were driving Hollywood prop-cars.

He said he was trying to light a cigarette when he rear-ended the car in front of him.

The anti-smokers are gonna love this.

I agree, police checks are predictable and very narrow in scope, they're just done to show the public they can actually find their way out of the Koban now and then. RIP Mr Sato.

By the looks of the victim's car, the fire must of spread so fast he couldn't get himself out. Or maybe he was seriously hurt and unconsious. I hope it was the latter. RIP.

And yet another drunk driving incident. They know he was drinking at a bar in Ebina, so are they going to shut the bar down, and if not, why not? I'm sick and tired of seeing heaps of bicycles, motorcycles, and cars parked illegally on the streets (which have become parking lots for said bars) and people getting wasted to ride/drive home. Seriously... the cops here have their 'safety driving' week, but all they need to do is step into an izakaya after a PTA meeting and they could fill the coffers of this nation in an instant.

I hope this guy is locked up for at least a decade to think about what he did and the person he killed.

The fact that road deaths are actually reported at a national level (rather than by local press only) heightens all-round awareness, and is to be applauded.

Other reasons to be cheerful as a pedestrian/cyclist/motorist in Japan include: Custodial sentences in dedicated 'traffic prisons'; Drink/drive zero tolerance; Lower speed limits.

Yes, there are idiots out there, but which country's immune from that?

What was a bar doing open that early?? He was probably drinking the night before and still had alcohol in his system. Anyhow, it seems the cause was distraction from lighting the cigarette.

so are they going to shut the bar down, and if not, why not?

How about because the idiot who drove drunk make the personal choice to do so and it isn't the responsibility of the bar to ensure their customers aren't idiots who drink and drive? I don't get why bars can be held responsible. What about the people was with? Why not charge them? Why not charge anyone who saw this idiot get into his car after a few drinks. Or better yet, hold HIM solely responsible and make an example out of him. Drunk drivers are nothing but selfish jerks.

"he was trying to light a cigarette when he rear-ended the car in front of him"

So it was a deadly combination of drinking AND smoking.

Anything in life plus smoking equals deadly. It's the default mode.

The sadder side of this story is that, THIS individual will only serve (at the most) 2 years for vehicular manslaughter not to mention the fine and the total loss of his driving privileges. Of course, that doesn't say he won't ever drive again though. He might risk driving without a license. This guy is a total jerk with no respect or retrospect for the law and or it's consequences for breaking them. He deserves nothing less than what's mentioned above and then some.

@ Vesperato: Why would anti-smokers even care about what he was doing. The reason he crashed his vehicle was simply because he chose to drink and then drive while under the influence. The same result might have occurred if he was 'trying' to pay attention.

How about because the idiot who drove drunk make the personal choice to do so and it isn't the responsibility of the bar to ensure their customers aren't idiots who drink and drive? I don't get why bars can be held responsible.

I think the argument that is being made is that bars have a responsibility to stop serving someone when they are visibly intoxicated. Kind of like a gun store selling a gun to someone who is visibly drunk.

I suppose he'll get a few cartons of High Light in slammer for a few years from his pals at that bar.

Drivers shouldn't be going into a pub/bar anyway. There should be zero-tolerance on drinking and driving. (Yes I do drive, and no I don't drink... can't stand the taste or the smell of the stuff.)

Anyway, if the limits were raised maybe there would be less instances of cars ploughing into other cars and killing people?