Number of road traffic accidents caused by bicycles in Japan 2014-2023

In 2023, the number of traffic accidents caused by bicycles amounted to approximately 17.61 thousand cases, slightly decreasing from around 17.86 thousand cases in 2014. Likewise, the overall number of traffic accidents involving cyclists grew. While the latter statistic was on a downwards trend, the former stagnated in recent years.Is riding a bicycle safe in Japan? Although traffic in Japan may be considered relatively safe in international comparison, the high share of pedal cyclists among casualties is striking. Moreover, the case fatality rate of bicycle riders may be comparably low to other road users, but in absolute terms, fatalities exceeded that of the other two-wheelers in 2021.Surveys indicate cyclists themselves are aware of the risks. According to one conducted in October 2021, one in two pedal-assist electric bicycle (pedelec) riders admitted having had an accident or close call.Who is likely to get involved in bicycle accidents? Bicycles are a popular mode of transportation in Japan, especially among young people on school runs and the elderly. For the elderly, bikes are a cheap and flexible mode of transportation. If they have returned their driver’s license, it might even be the only option left to maintain a certain degree of mobility and independence. Accordingly, the likelihood among elderly and underage cyclists to get involved in traffic accidents is relatively higher.The nature of their risks might differ, however. Although pedelecs have become increasingly popular in recent years among both groups, elderly cyclists with limited stability tend to struggle more with e-bikes, which built-in electric motor makes them heavier and faster than the average bicycle. Since people are aware of this issue, there have been e-bike training courses for the elderly organized by vendors, the police, and local governments. One can hardly measure the direct effects of such initiatives. At least, the casualty rate of elderly cyclists decreased steadily over the past decade. It remains to be seen if this trend continues.

于2023年，由自行车引发的交通事故数量约为17.61千起，相较于2014年的约17.86千起略有下降。尽管涉及骑自行车的交通事故总数呈下降趋势，但前者在近年来的数量上却趋于停滞。在日本，骑自行车是否安全？尽管在国际比较中，日本的交通状况可能被认为是相对安全的，但令人瞩目的却是事故伤亡者中自行车骑行者的比例较高。此外，自行车骑行者的死亡率可能与其他道路使用者相当，但就绝对值而言，2021年的死亡人数超过了其他两种两轮车。调查表明，骑自行车者本身也意识到这些风险。根据2021年10月进行的一项调查，一半的电动助力自行车（pedelec）骑行者承认曾遭遇过事故或险些出事。哪些人可能卷入自行车事故？自行车在日本是一种流行的交通方式，尤其是在上下学的年轻人和老年人中。对于老年人而言，自行车是一种经济且灵活的交通工具。如果他们已归还驾驶执照，那么这可能是维持一定程度的移动性和独立性的唯一选择。因此，老年人和未成年骑自行车者在交通事故中的发生概率相对较高。然而，他们面临的风险性质可能有所不同。尽管近年来电动助力自行车在两组人中越来越受欢迎，但稳定性较差的老年骑自行车者往往在电动自行车上遇到更多困难，内置的电动马达使得电动自行车比普通自行车更重、更快。鉴于人们对此问题的认识，供应商、警察和地方政府已经组织了针对老年人的电动自行车培训课程。很难衡量此类举措的直接效果。至少，过去十年中老年骑自行车者的伤亡率稳步下降。这一趋势是否持续，仍有待观察。