Danger on Toll Roads: Distracted Driving with Smartphones… One Month After Six-Person Fatal Accident on the Shin-Meishin Expressway
In March, a rear-end collision on a highway in Mie Prefecture killed six people. The cause is believed to be a truck driver using a smartphone while driving. Despite stricter penalties, this problem persists. We investigated the reality of this issue.
March 20th. A major accident occurred in the early hours of the first day of a three-day weekend. Two severely damaged passenger cars remained on the highway. Burned black and so distorted they were unrecognizable, they testify to the severity of the collision.
Around 2:20 AM on March 20th, a large truck crashed into a line of cars on the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Kameyama City, Mie Prefecture. Six people died in the two passenger cars: the Matsumoto family of five and Keizo Takamine.
Truck Driver: "I was looking at my smartphone"
(Reporter Wataru Matsuda)
"Ms. Mizutani is speaking with investigators in front of the truck's driver's seat."
The truck was driven by 54-year-old Mizutani Mizuyo. She has been indicted for negligent driving resulting in death. She told investigators that she was "looking at her smartphone."
Ms. Mizutani was reportedly driving at over 80 km/h while looking at her smartphone. She noticed the traffic jam about 10 meters before the intersection and slammed on the brakes, but it was too late.
"I sometimes look at the navigation system," "I get a call and think, 'Who could that be?'"
(Truck Driver)
"This isn't someone else's problem. I think we need to be careful."
(Truck Driver)
"It says she was 'looking at her smartphone,' but it's scary to take your eyes off it for that long. I try not to touch it."
"Distracted driving" has been a concern for over 10 years, and stricter penalties have been imposed.
We asked drivers again…
(Truck Driver)
Q. Have you ever looked at your smartphone while driving on the highway?
"Especially when I'm in unfamiliar territory, I sometimes check the navigation system."
(Truck driver)
"I generally try not to look at my smartphone, but I can't say for sure that I never do."
Q. Have you had any dangerous experiences?
"Of course, I have. I got a call, and when I looked at my phone to see who it was... I thought, 'That's dangerous.'"
Some drivers still say they sometimes look at their phones. Checking from above on a certain toll road...
"Eating instant noodles with chopsticks while driving"
(Kiyoshi Tanaka, reporter, Obu City, Aichi Prefecture, mid-April)
"This truck driver is on the phone while driving."
"The driver of this truck also has his hand on his smartphone."
"He's driving with one hand holding the smartphone to his ear. Isn't he distracted?"
Truck drivers using their phones while driving are not uncommon. Some even...
(Tanaka, reporter)
"He's not looking ahead! He's eating food with chopsticks!"
He's taken both hands off the steering wheel and eating instant noodles. He's driving right up to the edge of the next lane, but the passenger doesn't seem to notice.
In this 1.5-hour observation, we found that 12 vehicles were "operating their smartphones," 7 were "looking away" (e.g., looking at their smartphone screens), 6 were "talking on the phone with the phone held to their ear," and a total of 29 vehicles were engaging in "distracted driving" such as filling out paperwork or eating.
What should you pay attention to while driving? "Maintain approximately three times the following distance compared to the passing lane."
So, what do drivers pay attention to while driving? We actually rode in the passenger seat.
(Yuji Hirabayashi, 15 years as a truck driver)
Q. Do you ever use your smartphone?
"Basically, I don't use it while driving. Even if a call comes in, I can't answer it while driving."
Mr. Hirabayashi, a truck driver, drove for about 2.5 hours that day from Kiyosu City, Aichi Prefecture to Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
He says he always pays attention to "a certain thing" while driving.
(Hirabayashi)
"I try to maintain a safe distance from the car in front, drive at a reasonable speed, and avoid sudden braking as much as possible. Sudden braking puts a lot of G-force forward, which isn't good for cargo."
I always maintain a distance nearly three times greater than in the passing lane.
(Hirabayashi)
"With this much space, even if the car in front brakes suddenly while I'm looking in the side mirror, I can manage."
Q. Is this enough to feel safe?
"Yes, it's safe."
If your gaze is away for a certain period of time, a "sound" is emitted.
Also, while driving, things like this happen...
(In-car announcement) "Beep. Please pay attention to the road ahead."
(Hirabayashi)
Q. Did you just hear a beep?
"I was looking at the inspection sticker there. There's a sensor in the car that tells you to 'look ahead,' and it activated."
Q. Isn't that annoying?
"It doesn't beep when you're driving normally. Just go back to normal and drive as usua...
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