Passenger of vehicle in fatal drunk-driving case fined Y250,000

Friday 19th September, 03:31 PM JST

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13 Comments

getsy at 03:35 PM JST - 19th September

and did they pay the money?
mikihouse at 04:41 PM JST - 19th September

best solution, if the driver is drunk, get out of the car. Can you stop a drunk man from driving?chances are low especially if they are your sempai in Japan
serindipity at 04:56 PM JST - 19th September

It's a strange ruling considering Japan is supposed to be so strict. He would have gone to jail in Oz for admitting he knew the driver was drunk.
CavemanLawyer at 05:38 PM JST - 19th September

The court found that Sasaki shared the parking fees and assisted Sato in driving the car while drunk.

People that assist me driving end up walking home. How is that even possible?

Sasaki drank together with Sato, got in the latter’s car, and asked to be taken home early on the morning of May 22, 2005, according to the ruling.

If he asked to be taken home, and that is why the drunk was driving, as a judge I would have nailed him with a bigger fine than this. They were drinking together. But that assumes the accident was actually caused by alcohol though. I do not even see a BAC here to prove it was.

best solution, if the driver is drunk, get out of the car.

If you stay in the car, the life you save might be some else's. Like when you yell "Red light!" and the drunk hits the brake. There is a big difference between encouraging a drunk to drive and doing what you can to prevent accidents. Yet either could be done from the passenger seat.

I think a drunk driver is generally better assisted than not. If a passenger tried to prevent the drunk driving, they should be absolved of responsibility for the accident.

--Cirroc
mindovermatter at 07:28 PM JST - 19th September

That's it...? 250,000....?

That's nothing, unless he's receiving some other kind of sentence out of this...?

Multiply that by 3 and you barely have moving in money for a new apartment....
cwhite at 07:28 PM JST - 19th September

good point caveman. First thought by most would be to convince the person to not drive, if that fails then you have a chance of using the shop staff (who are useless) or calling the police (unlikely). Then you have to decide to just walk away or assist. I guess you could punch it out and force the drunk to not drive or chuck his car keys down the drain, but you'll probably get charged for something. Basically their is not much you can do in these kinds of situations. Similar to trying to stop a suicide bomber who is not going to listen to reason. So what do you do?
YangYong at 08:35 PM JST - 19th September

What kind of idiot has a friend who drinks and drives? That's right. Enjoy them and your selfish selves. Children dead and justifiers are actually around? Have a word.
bamboohat at 10:45 PM JST - 19th September

why did only two out of the three kids get part of the theoretical 106 million?
BurakuminDes at 12:02 AM JST - 20th September

"He would have gone to jail in Oz for admitting he knew the driver was drunk." Ah, dont know about that one Serendipity. In Aus, I doubt the passenger could possibly be charged, possibly he could appear as a witness. Certainly not to jail...passengers dont get breath tested either, unless thats changed in the last 5 years?.
lipscombe at 12:05 AM JST - 20th September

he got off lightly but will hopefully feel regret at his stupidity every day for the rest of his miserable
meiwaku at 12:48 PM JST - 20th September

there are many other more common causes of serious accidents everyday. Following too close, going through red lights, driving too fast or erratically in the city, eating while driving, sending cell phone mail while driving. I see these many times every single day. They all result in accidents or death on occasion. Driving drunk is simply a high profile traffic violation. So I ask, "What kind of idiot has a friend who does any of these?" "Should the passenger in the car during these infractions being jailed or fined as well?"
YangYong at 12:41 PM JST - 21st September

Meiwaku: If you can't figure it out... I'll spell it out. DON'T be a passenger with an idiot. Let the tyres down, tie your 'friend' up, knock them out, call the police, render their vehicle un-drivable use your imagination, you know? Don't justify the preventable for the mentally challenged.
ka_chan at 05:33 PM JST - 21st September

In Japan if you get in a car with a drunk driver, you are also responsible. That's the law. If a drunk assists a drunk drive a car, aren't they both guilty of drunk driving? Japan really should think about making sure a Judge is a lawyer first. But then maybe the Judge was a friend of friend or relatived or something. Friends don't let friends drive drunk.