Gaia Series 62: Watch over your driving - A New Era for Senior Drivers
This week’s episode takes an insightful look into Japan’s ageing drivers, their struggles with road safety, and the community efforts and technologies being developed to help them.
· CNA · JoinAs Japan's elderly population grows, this episode explores the challenges faced by senior drivers, highlighting innovative solutions, community initiatives, and the personal stories behind the statistics.
In this episode of Japan Hour, the focus shifts to Japan's rapidly ageing population and the rising challenge of elderly drivers on the roads. In Yakuma Town, Hokkaido, the episode begins with a stark scene of a car accident, illustrating the growing issue of traffic incidents involving the elderly. The narrator notes that as the proportion of elderly citizens rises, so does the frequency of accidents, with 71,673 incidents involving elderly drivers recorded in 2023—up from 67,661 in 2021. This situation has become a major social concern, prompting a national conversation on whether senior citizens should forfeit their driving licences.
Moving to Ebino City in Miyazaki, the episode captures the reality faced by an ageing rural community, where 44 per cent of the population is over 65. In such areas, driving is often not a choice but a necessity, as public transportation options are limited. At the Ebino Kogen Driving School, a special class is underway for drivers over 70 who are renewing their licences. The challenges faced by these elderly students become evident as they navigate basic driving tasks, struggling to follow signage and remember directions. One participant, an 82-year-old farmer, repeatedly confuses left and right turns during the lesson, admitting in frustration, "I think the test is wrong. You should explain all this clearly at the start and then we should set out."
The episode highlights the personal stakes involved for many elderly drivers. Among those attending the class is 81-year-old Masaru Iwasaki, who emphasises the importance of driving in his daily life: "If I don't drive, I can't take my wife to the hospital." His wife, Emiko, suffers from the aftereffects of a subarachnoid haemorrhage, and given the scarcity of buses in the town, surrendering his licence would severely limit their mobility. "I'll be as good as dead," Iwasaki remarks, reflecting the sentiment of many elderly people in rural areas who equate the ability to drive with their independence and quality of life.
To address the increasing number of accidents, the episode shows efforts being made at Ebino Kogen Driving School, including an exercise class designed to help elderly drivers maintain their physical responsiveness. The instructor explains, "People step on the accelerator instead of the brakes because they lack the speed to change between the two quickly." These exercises aim to improve foot joint responsiveness, a small but crucial measure to help prevent accidents.
The episode then moves to a broader solution—a new system developed to diagnose driving issues in real-time. The episode introduces Genext, a company specialising in accident appraisals, founded in 2009. Genext is led by President Hajime Kasahara, who has personally investigated over 500 traffic accidents. Kasahara’s work began after his father was involved in an accident, initially deemed the perpetrator due to alleged negligence. Through a meticulous investigation of dashcam footage, Kasahara was able to prove that the other car was speeding at over 100 kilometres per hour, ultimately reversing the finding of negligence. This experience motivated Kasahara to develop technologies for more precise accident assessments.
Kasahara and Genext are now conducting a pilot study in Yokohama City, a region where accidents involving elderly drivers have risen significantly—from 7.7 per cent in 2003 to 22.1 per cent in 2023. The study involves elderly drivers between the ages of 66 and 71, using an app called AI-Contact to monitor their driving habits over a 90-day period. The app tracks factors like speed compliance and stops at intersections, generating a driving skills score for each participant.
One of the participants, 71-year-old Tatsuhiko Koda, shares his perspective: "After I turned 70, I became aware of the need to drive more safely." Koda, who used to work at an insurance company, is confident in his abilities but welcomes the chance for objective assessment. During the trial, Koda scores an impressive 98.46 per cent, demonstrating that despite concerns about declining vision, he remains a capable driver. He acknowledges, "I started to pay more attention to speed limits. Up until now, I just relied on my instincts... But now, I try to stick to the rules and keep a close eye on my speed."
Another participant, 66-year-old Toshimi Usami, often drives her grandsons to and from nursery school. Encouraged by her son Maki to participate in the study, Usami hopes the data will provide peace of mind for her family. Her results, however, reveal shortcomings—especially in stopping at intersections, with a compliance rate of just 50 per cent. "In my head, I make sure to stop at these locations. I'm not being careful enough," Usami admits. Following the trial, she takes the results to heart, making conscious efforts to count to three at stop signs to ensure she stops properly.
The episode also covers a community-focused solution in Miyoshi City, Hiroshima, where car manufacturer Mazda is working to address transportation challenges in rural areas with limited public transit. In this region, more than half of the population is elderly, and the local bus service is sparse. Mazda has launched the Mutual Support Transportation programme, a volunteer-driven initiative where residents who can drive provide free rides to those who cannot. Shinichiro Yoshida, from Mazda, remarks on the significance of the project: "I want to improve people's lives and their ability to get around... But we can't just do that through technology. To realise this, working together with all of you is important."
However, this initiative faces challenges as the volunteer drivers are themselves ageing, with many expressing concerns about their ability to continue driving safely. "Your eyesight starts to decline. And you never know what might happen," says 67-year-old volunteer driver Chihiro Kodama. In response, Mazda is developing a driving irregularity detection system that uses cameras to monitor eye movements and other indicators of cognitive function. This technology, developed in collaboration with Hiroshima University, aims to provide early warnings of impaired driving abilities, with the goal of enhancing road safety for elderly drivers.
The episode paints a vivid picture of the challenges and solutions surrounding elderly drivers in Japan. As the country’s population continues to age, initiatives like Genext's diagnostic tools and Mazda's community transportation system are essential steps towards ensuring that elderly citizens can maintain their independence while keeping the roads safe.
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