Short Communication, Endocrinol Diabetes Res Vol: 4 Issue: 1
Potentially Effective Measures to Deal with Elderly Drivers and Additional Measures Involving the Elderly in Japan
Ken Inoue*, Shigeto Moriwaki, Yasuyuki Fujita, Yoshitsugu Fujita, Sadayuki Hashioka, Michiharu Nagahama, Tsuyoshi Miyaoka, Jun Horiguchi and Haruo Takeshita
Research and Education Faculty, Medical Sciences Cluster, Health Service Center, Kochi University, 2-5-1, Akebono-cho, Kochi-shi, Kochi 780-8520, Japan
*Corresponding Author : Ken Inoue
Research and Education Faculty, Medical Sciences Cluster, Health Service Center, Kochi University, 2-5-1, Akebono-cho, Kochi-shi, Kochi 780-8520, Japan
Tel: +81-88-844-8158
Fax: +81-88-844-8089
E-mail: ke-inoue@med.shimane-u.ac.jp
Received: February 08, 2018 Accepted: March 30, 2018 Published: April 03, 2018
Citation: Inoue K, Moriwaki S, Fujita Y, Fujita Y, Hashioka S, et al. (2018) Potentially Effective Measures to Deal with Elderly Drivers and Additional Measures to Prevent Traffic Fatalities Involving the Elderly in Japan. Endocrinol Diabetes Res 4:1. doi: 10.4172/2470-7570.1000128
Abstract
Over the past few years, the number of traffic fatalities and the number of individuals injured in traffic accidents in Japan have decreased [1]. From 2006 to 2016, the number of fatalities within 30 days of a traffic accident decreased annually in Japan from 7,336 in 2006 to 4,838 in 2014. However, the number increased slightly to 4,885 in 2015, though it decreased again to 4,698 in 2016. From 2006 to 2016, the number of individuals injured in traffic accidents decreased annually in Japan from 1,098,564 in 2006 to 618,853 in 2016. We previously examined detailed trends in traffic fatalities by age group in Japan, Germany, and France [2]. In the study, individuals ages 25–64 accounted for a large proportion of traffic fatalities in Germany and France, but the elderly age 65 or older accounted for a large proportion of traffic fatalities in Japan. The elderly accounted for 20.2% of Japan’s population in 2005, 23.0% in 2010, and 26.7% in 2015 [3], so the elderly represent a growing proportion of the population.