This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Trends and Forecasts of the Japanese Traffic Accident Situation
Technical Paper
856080
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
The number of people killed in road traffic accidents in Japan
had increased from year to year until 1970 and the number of deaths
and injuries recorded in the same year were 16,800 and 980,000,
respectively, or a total of nearly 1 million casualties, resulting
in the introduction of the phrase "traffic war." Under
these circumstances, insuring traffic safety became a top priority
social issue, and, as part of a national attempt to cope with this
problem, the Fundamental Law Related to Traffic Safety Measures was
enacted in 1970. Based on this law, the national and regional
governments pursued comprehensive and powerful traffic safety
policies and measures in various areas, including the improvement
and provision of traffic safety facilities. As a result, the number
of deaths and injuries from traffic accidents in 1979 was reduced
to approximately 8,500 and 600,000, respectively, the former
representing a decrease by nearly half that recorded in 1970.
Since 1980, however, the trend has reversed, and the number of
deaths has followed an upward path; the death toll has exceeded
9,000 for 3 consecutive years from 1982 through 1984. A prediction
study conducted by the Traffic Safety Policy Office of the
Management and Coordination Agency in 1984 estimates the number of
deaths will continue to rise and will reach approximately 10,600 in
1990. To suppress this increase in the number of deaths,
legislation that reinforces the compulsory use of helmets for moped
drivers and seatbelts is planned for enactment in the near
future.