17 SAFETY AND WELFARE
Sixth Traffic Safety Basic Plan
Automobile ownership in Japan, including trucks, has surpassed 70 million units, meaning there is one car owned for every 1.7 Japanese persons. The rise in car ownership has intensified road congestion, and annual traffic fatalities have exceeded 10,000 for the last 10 consecutive years. The auto safety issue is just as important as its environmental impact. The Ministry of Transport has implemented various measures, including reviews of automobile safety standards, development of advanced safety vehicles (ASV), and disclosure of safety information regarding various models. The ministry also began its 6th Five-year Traffic Safety Basic Plan starting FY 1996. The program indicates specific ways for preventing traffic accidents.
Transportation services friendly to the elderly and the handicapped
The percentage of elderly in the Japanese population has increased at a much faster rate than in other industrialized countries, and it is important to improve public transportation systems to facilitate social participation by the handicapped. Steps taken to aid these groups are called barrier-free measures because they are designed to eliminate barriers. In 1994, the Ministry of Transport revised its guidelines for the development of facilities for the elderly and the handicapped at public transport terminals. The new guidelines include installing elevators / escalators at transport terminals, introducing visual and auditory equipment to provide information, building ramps, making walkways wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs, and installing Braille blocks on stairs and walkways. It also recommends the introduction of buses equipped with lifts.
