Accidents caused by pressing the accelerator and brake incorrectly continue to occur.

Why do accidents happen?

Endless missteps

According to the Traffic Accident Analysis Center, there will be 3,050 accidents caused by pressing the brake pedal or accelerator incorrectly in 2022, resulting in 48 deaths and 4,289 injuries.



Although the number of accidents has been halved over the past 10 years due to advances in car technology, many people are still injured.

Looking at drivers who caused accidents by age group, 23.4% of drivers were in their 70s, followed by 16.1% in their 60s, 14.7% in their 20s, and 13.6% in their 80s.



According to the center's analysis, accidents caused by pressing the accelerator while trying to apply the brake were: ▽ while trying to turn or stop the car in a parking lot; ▽ when driving behind a stopped car in front of an intersection. , ▽This often occurs when trying to exit the facility onto the road.



It is said to be more likely to occur when you have to repeatedly press the accelerator and brake pedals, when you need to be careful about cars and pedestrians, when you are driving in an unfamiliar car, or when you are wearing inappropriate footwear such as sandals.

Elderly drivers need to be especially careful

It is said that elderly drivers need to be especially careful not to press the wrong pedal.



In addition to the effects of aging, such as ``deterioration of visual function,'' ``decrease in attention and concentration,'' and ``delays and errors in information processing,'' it is said that people are more likely to get flustered or panic and make mistakes.



As a result of analyzing past pedal misapplication accidents, it was found that drivers over the age of 55 are more likely to fail to stop and collide with another object after one collision, and that they are more likely to cause multiple people to be involved in an accident. about it.



Elderly drivers also need to be careful when backing up their cars.



According to the Center's investigation, when the upper body is twisted to the right, such as when opening a window and facing backwards, the thighs tend to open wider and the tip of the right foot tends to move closer to the gas pedal.

Support car and license return

Advances are also being made in technology to prevent accidents involving older drivers.



One of them is the support car.



This vehicle is equipped with a function that automatically applies the brakes when it detects a car or person in front of it, and a device that prevents the vehicle from starting suddenly even if you press the accelerator hard instead of thinking it's the brake.



Some local governments provide subsidies for purchasing costs.



Police are also asking people who are concerned about driving to surrender their licenses.

How to prevent pedal misapplication accidents

The Traffic Accident Analysis Center has compiled a list of ways to keep in mind while driving to prevent pedal press accidents.

Utilizing the Creep Phenomenon


In parking lots, etc., it is said that taking advantage of the creep phenomenon, in which the vehicle moves at a low speed with one's foot on the brake without pressing the accelerator, as much as possible is effective in preventing erroneous pedal presses and sudden starts.



▽Beware of unexpected pedestrians and cars


In order to avoid panicking when a pedestrian or car appears from an unexpected place, be aware of the surrounding situation, increase your alertness, and try to respond calmly. Let's.



▽Reconfirm your driving skills


Due to a decline in physical ability and flexibility, your body may not be able to move as expected, and you may make unintentional operating mistakes.


It is important to have the correct seat position and correct driving posture.



▽Concentrate on driving


Always try to drive with a relaxed mind, and do not operate the car navigation system at the same time while driving and concentrate on driving.

It is said that it is important for each person to be mindful in order to prevent a repeat of a tragic accident.

*When the article was published on February 16th, some data on the percentage of accidents by age was missing.

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