national

Traffic fatalities down 38 nationwide in 2013, white paper shows

15 Comments

The number of traffic accident fatalities nationwide in 2013 was 4,373, 38 fewer than in 2012, and a decrease for the 13th year in a row, according to the government white paper on road safety, released on Tuesday.

In the white paper, the National Police Agency (NPA) attributed the decrease to a crackdown on drunk driving and a campaign to raise awareness of seatbelt use.

The white paper said of the total number of deaths, 2,303 fatalities were individuals aged 65 or older, up by 39 over 2012.

Aichi Prefecture recorded the most deaths, with 219 (it was also No. 1 in 2012), followed by Hyogo (187), Chiba (186), Hokkaido and Shizuoka (184 each) and Tokyo. Tottori Prefecture reported the fewest, with 25 fatalities.

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

15 Comments
Login to comment

Decreasing as the population and number of drivers does. Nothing to pay themselves on the back. I had two students hit by cars this week and in both cases, the drivers didn't stop.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Imagine if the police actually enforced the road rules, ie red light runners, speedsters, negligent bicyclists, ignorant pedestrians crosses willy nilly etc, the cops could get the road toll right down, instead they sit in the koban waiting for obasan to come ask for directions or they hassle young kids on bicycles looking for stolen bikes. Traffic policing here is a joke.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@tmarie

You don't have the statistical data necessary to make that assertion.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

StormR, will never happen. Don't forget, police need political approval to do their job.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is good news! (although I still see people running red lights with impunity).

0 ( +0 / -0 )

4,373 deaths is not bad compared to other countries, but that's still 4,373 deaths too many. As some have mentioned above, I think the enforcement of traffic laws needs to be followed through more thoroughly.

With that said, Japan had 3.47 traffic deaths per 100K population (4373 / 126mil. x 100K), whereas the US had an estimated 11.07 traffic deaths per 100K population in 2013 (35,200 / 318mil. x 100K)... not bad, but could be better.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So 0.86% less deaths happened in 2013 than in 2012. That's not a trend so much as a statistical anomaly. A burble. A hiccup where there was one more snowstorm keeping people in their houses than the previous year.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

You don't have the statistical data necessary to make that assertion.

Really? I don't? The population here isn't dropping, more kids aren't being born, more people aren't past ages these shouldn't be driving and many aren't be put in the hospital because they need round the clock care?

Keep in mind cops only count the deaths from the first 24 hours of an accident. The real figure is much, much higher.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

You don't have the statistical data necessary to make that assertion. Really? I don't? The population here isn't dropping,

Actually it seems traffic death/population ratio keeps going down : 1985 7.650620823 1990 9.082525018 1995 8.504419846 2000 7.142744591 2005 5.37771586 2007 4.495542807 2008 4.036805012 2009 3.851097179 2010 3.797557319 2011 3.608791931 2012 3.462323391 2013 3.441604404

1 ( +2 / -1 )

You didn't seem to answer any of my questions... Funny that.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

So 0.86% less deaths happened in 2013 than in 2012. That's not a trend so much as a statistical anomaly. A burble. A hiccup where there was one more snowstorm keeping people in their houses than the previous year.

The number of traffic accident fatalities nationwide in 2013 was 4,373, 38 fewer than in 2012, and a decrease for the 13th year in a row, according to the government white paper on road safety, released on Tuesday.

Reading comprehension.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

tmarie, most deaths from traffic accidents happen on the spot or within 24 hours. That is a fact.

http://medind.nic.in/jal/t11/i2/jalt11i2p135.pdf

If you disagree, provide data.

Also, the decrease in the rate of traffic accidents deaths is 5 times higher than the decrease in population. That is also a fact.

Please refrain from making false assumptions. Again, if you disagree, please provide facts, not conjecture. Good day.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

If you disagree, provide data.

Could you point out where I suggested otherwise??

I am not making "false assumptions". I am merely pointing out that if you die 25 hours after the accident, you death is not counted in the total.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites