Japan’s road safety continues to improve

The latest official data from Japan’s National Police Agency reveals a continued drop in traffic fatalities for 2014. The fatality rate fell to 4,113 in 2014, a drop of 260 from the previous year. This improvement in road safety has been helped by a successful campaign to increase awareness over the use of seatbelts and also on the inherent risks of drink-driving, according to the authorities. Of the fatalities, 227 cases were as a result of drink-driving. A total of 2,193 people aged above 65 years old died in traffic incidents, highlighting the risk to the elderly on Japan’s roads. Among all prefectures in the country, Aichi Prefecture recorded the highest level of traffic fatalities.