The Japan National Police Agency (NPA) said on June 25 that it would begin reviewing the mandatory driving skills test for drivers aged 75 and over with a history of traffic violations, after a tracking study found that this group is more prone to accidents.
According to a study published by the NPA on the same day, the accident rate caused by drivers who have passed the test is 2.8 times higher than the recorded rate for those who are not subject to the test. Citing concerns that the test may not be effective, the NPA has begun reviewing the content.
The agency will establish an expert council to discuss feasible reforms and complete a report as early as August. "We will continuously review the inspection system to ensure we can accurately identify drivers who may pose a risk to traffic safety," a NPA official said.
The driving skills test was applied in 2022 with the goal of preventing accidents by assessing the decline in physical function in older drivers. The test is performed for older drivers who have committed any of the 16 designated violations, such as running red lights or speeding, within three years before renewing their driver's license. They cannot renew their license unless they pass a practical driving test to assess compliance with traffic signs, traffic signals and steering and braking.
Usually, about 10% of license renewals are subject to inspection. In 2025, there were 156,513 people participating in the inspection, and 93% of them passed. The NPA conducted a survey to monitor accidents and violations in the next two years for 5,270 people who passed the test between May and August 2023, along with 8,233 people participating in training courses for elderly drivers who did not violate.
The results showed that there were a total of 83 accidents in the inspection group and 47 accidents in the training group. For every 100,000 drivers, the accident rate of the inspection group was 2.8 times higher than the training group. In the age group from 75 to 79, this rate was 4.5 times higher.
The traffic violation rate is also about twice as high in the group participating in the inspection. The most common cause of accidents is insufficient observation of the front as well as the left and right sides. The study found a correlation between such accidents and the items with the most points deducted in the practical test, including not stopping at the stop sign.
In that context, the expert council is expected to discuss whether to apply a stricter test, for example by adjusting the scoring criteria or adding new evaluation categories. The Council is also expected to consider measures to minimize accidents caused by mistaken accelerator pedals for brake pedals, a common type of accident in older drivers.
