As shown in Figure 1, the number of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 population by age and sex is lowest among young people, somewhat higher among the middle-aged, and highest among seniors (aged 65 and above, the same hereinafter).   While men are more prone to pedestrian accidents than women among the middle-aged, the ratio is reversed among those aged 70 and above, of whom women account for a greater percentage than men.

The number of injured pedestrians per 100,000 population, on the other hand, is greatest among grade school children aged 7-12, especially boys, followed by younger children aged 6 and below. Among the middle-aged and seniors, injuries increase at a higher rate in females, with the number surpassing that of males among the old aged 60 and above.

Of 2,332 pedestrians killed by traffic accidents in 2003, those aged 65 and above accounted for 64%, whereas 26% of the injured were youngsters aged 15 and below. The following discussion on distinctive features of pedestrian accidents centers on seniors and children who are more prone to such accidents.

Accidents are most likely to occur while crossing streets in all age groups, as shown in Fig. 3, which indicates pedestrian accidents by age group and by circumstance. In children and seniors, the ratio of accidents while crossing the road and the street is particularly high.   Broken down by circumstance, children aged 6 and below are more likely to meet accidents "while crossing the road where there is no crosswalk nearby", whereas the ratio of accidents "while crossing crosswalks" is lower. The ratio of accidents "while playing on the street" is also noticeably high among children. Although not to the same extent as children, the aged are also likely to meet accidents while crossing the street other than at crosswalks.

Note: Primary party indicates the party who is more at fault than the other. If parties are equally negligent, the one who is less injured.   Secondary party means the party who is less at fault than the other. If parties are equally negligent, the one who is more seriously injured.

Pedestrians killed or injured by traffic accidents were on the street or road for various purposes, as shown in Fig. 4. Young people aged 19 and below meet accidents most often "on the way to and from school", particularly among junior high school students aged 13-15, for whom this accounts for more than half the accidents. The ratio of children, aged 12 and below, killed or injured by traffic accidents "while playing" is also high, accounting for 25% of children aged 6 and below.   The older the victim, the greater the ratio of accidents while "shopping", "going to visit someone", or "walking". The ratio killed or injured "on the way to and from hospitals or clinics" is also rising, although the percentage is not yet very large.

It is clear that youngsters are prone to accidents "while playing" or "on the way to and from school", whereas old people often suffer accidents while shopping or going to visit someone. For each of these circumstances, the time of day when traffic accidents are most likely to occur is examined below.   As shown in Fig. 5-1, accidents "while playing" are concentrated in the late afternoon, between 16:00 and 18:00, for both the 6 and below and 7-12 age groups.   Accidents "on the way to school" peak between 7:00 and 9:00 in the morning. The peak time in the afternoon on the way home is 15:00 to 16:00 for grade school students aged 7-12, and 17:00 to 18:00 for junior high and high school students aged 13-19. Students of all age groups are more likely to meet accidents on the way to school than on the way home.

Figure 5-3 indicates the time of accidents "while shopping". Accidents have two peak zones for all senior age groups: between 10:00 and 12:00 in the morning and between 17:00 and 19:00 in the afternoon. In Fig. 5-4, accidents "while on the way to visiting someone" also have two peaks for all senior age groups: between 9:00 and 11:00 in the morning and between 17:00 and 19:00 in the late afternoon. Late afternoon between 17:00 and 19:00 is called the "twilight", when drivers often find it difficult to spot pedestrians. It is apparent that seniors tend to meet accidents during this time period.

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Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis (ITARDA)