TOKYO - The National Police Agency plans to toughen the mandatory skills test for drivers aged 75 or older with a history of certain traffic violations when they seek to renew their license, after data showed the current system fails to properly flag high-risk drivers.
A report by the agency's expert panel released Thursday recommended additional measures should be implemented such as driving maneuvers to verify the proper operation of the accelerator and brake pedals. The agency will proceed with necessary regulatory revisions and aim to implement the changes in 2027.
The driving skills test, introduced in May 2022, currently checks five maneuvers such as coming to a complete stop and turning right or left. But even after the system was launched, accidents suspected to be caused by elderly drivers mistakenly applying the accelerator pedal instead of the brake have continued to occur.
The envisioned revised test will add a "direction change" component to test precise pedal application and steering. The maneuver requires the driver to back up while steering, come to a stop, then turn the wheel in the opposite direction to move forward.
Scoring will also tighten for the test, which uses a 100-point deduction system with a score of 70 or higher required to pass.
For example, failing to check for traffic on both sides, such as when coming to a stop, currently does not affect the score. After the revision, this will result in a 10-point deduction.
Additionally, at intersections requiring a stop, the penalty for crossing the stop line and protruding into the intersecting road will be doubled to 40 points.
The review came after the agency's follow-up survey of drivers with a history of violations who passed the on-road test showed that the number of accidents they were involved in was still about 2.8 times higher than that of drivers aged 75 and older with no such traffic violation history who had taken the standard senior driver training course to renew their license.
