࢖ࢱࣝࢲ࢖ࣥࣇ࢛࣓࣮ࢩࣙࣥ

ITARDA INFORMATION
஺㏻஦ᨾศᯒ࣏࣮ࣞࢺ
lSpeciafeatureNo.99

Letʼs eliminate unlicensed driving accidents~Creating an environment with zero unlicensed driving
and zero tolerance for unlicensed driving~
2007~2011: 14,816 unlicensed driving accidents〈Accidents causing fatalities/injuries
due to unlicensed driving〉
Suspended
Violation oflicenselicense conditions
Expired license 7%

10%

1%

Unlicensed drivingin the strict sense82%
 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P2
 Characteristics of unlicensed driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P2
 Unlicensed driving is more likely to lead

 Unlicensed drivers have a low level of

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road user ethics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P7
 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P8

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 Unlicensed drivers drive more dangerously.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P6○○

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to serious accidents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P4

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≉㞟

↓ࡃࡑ࠺↓චチ㐠㌿࡟ࡼࡿ஦ᨾ㹼↓චチ㐠㌿ࢆ⤯ᑐ࡟ࡋ࡞࠸ࠊࡉࡏ࡞࠸⎔ቃ࡙ࡃࡾ㹼 Introduction
Although the numbers of unlicensed driving accidents are decreasing year on year, the especially
dangerous types of accidents which tend to be caused by unlicensed driving are a problem that isrefusing to go away. Unlicensed driving causes the following problems:࣭ People believe that “Having no license to drive is not in itself dangerous behavior.”
࣭ Driver ’s driving skill may diminish over time due to factors like age or illness. An unlicensed driver
has not taken his or her latest aptitude test indicating the possibility of insufficient driving skills.
࣭ A much higher rate of unlicensed drivers flee from the scene of accidents after they occur without
taking the appropriate steps, because they are afraid of being detected.
Another major problem is that “drivers who have started to drive without a license already have atendency not to take traffic rules seriously, and have a low level of awareness about the need toadhere to the such rules,” a fact which can easily lead to serious consequences.
In this issue, we will explain the characteristics of unlicensed driving accidents, the dangers of
unlicensed driving and other matters; we hope this issue will serve as a useful reference for creating anenvironment with “zero unlicensed driving and zero tolerance for unlicensed driving.”‫ڦ‬Definition of “unlicensed driving etc.”
Unlicensed driving etc. as defined in Road Traffic Accident Statistics by National Police Agency is categorized
into the following types from A to D. The percentage of traffic accidents causing fatalities/injuries (over a five-year
period from 2007-2011) by these types are shown in the front page figure of this issue. In this issue of ITARDA
Information, such accidents will be analyzed as “unlicensed driving accidents.”(Accidents caused by drivers with valid licenses over the same five-year period: n = 3,535,830, all figures from
Fig. 2 onward are based on the same criteria)
A: Unlicensed driving in the strict sense Where the driver does not hold a valid driver’s license and does not correspond to Categories B, C, or D
below.
B. Suspended license Where the driver’s license has been suspended.
C. Expired license Where the driver’s license has been suspended due to not being renewed, and where less than six
months has elapsed since the date of expiry.
D. Violation of license conditions
 Where the driver has violated one or more license conditions such as AT (Automatic transmission)
vehicles only.

 Characteristics of unlicensed driving‫ڦ‬Trends in unlicensed driving accidents
As Table 1 and Fig. 1 show, the number of unlicensed driving accidents decreased year on year
between 2002 and 2011. However when the numbers of unlicensed driving and drink-driving accidents
are compared, it is evident that while drink-driving accidents decreased by 75% from 2002 to 2011
partly due to the impact of crackdowns, tougher penalties and the like, unlicensed driving accidents
decreased by only 54% over the same period, a smaller margin.
One reason cited for the difference in these rates of decrease is that people do not think of unlicensed
driving as being particularly dangerous, and believe that it is not a serious matter. However, unlicensed
driving, like drink-driving, is a dangerous behavior which can easily lead to serious accidents.
The results of our analysis of the dangerousness of unlicensed driving will be set out in the following
section.

Table 1: Trends in no. of unlicensed driving accidents
2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Slight injuries

4,437

4,397

4,238

3,875

3,516

2,960

2,527

2,312

2,205

2,130

Serious injuries

1,017

875

804

684

645

547

482

479

402

392

Fatalities

202

181

156

148

108

87

94

71

63

65

Total

5,656

5,453

5,198

4,707

4,269

3,594

3,103

2,862

2,670

2,587

*Drink-driving accidents: Accidents caused by drivers who were drunk, under the influence of alcohol, or whose
results fell below the threshold levels on breath tests (including drivers who have been drinking alcohol but inwhom this could not be detected due to the passage of time).
ITARDA INFORMATION no.99

ITARDA INFORMATION no.99

6,000

100％

Slight injuries

No. of accidents causing casualties

Serious injuries
Fatalities

83％

5,000

100％
Left axis

No. of unlicensed driving
accidents as ratio of 2002 ﬁgures
Right axis
No. of drink-driving accidents
as ratio of 2002 ﬁgures

4,000

69％

55％

80％

60％

46％

3,000

40％
2,000

32％
25％

1,000

0

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

20％

0％

Year
Fig 1: Trends in no. of unlicensed driving accidents‫ڦ‬Time of unlicensed driving accidents
Fig.2 shows the percentage of unlicensed driving accidents by their time of occurrence. It is evident
that the percentage is higher between morning and evening time, as is the case with accidents caused
by licensed drivers. This could be because drivers are only vaguely aware that unlicensed driving is acriminal offense, and find it easy to believe that “As long as I don’t get caught, it’s okay...” with theresult that they feel confident about driving in the daytime.

10％

Percentage

8％

6％

4％
Unlicensed
Licensed

2％

0％

0:00

02:00

04:00

06:00

08:00

10:00

12:00

14:00

16:00

18:00

20:00

22:00

Time
Fig. 2: Percentage of unlicensed driving accidents by their time of occurrence‫ڦ‬Passenger occupancy rate when accidents occur

25％

Rate (%)

Fig. 3 shows the rate of passenger occupancy in vehicles when
accidents occurred. The figure shows that passengers were
present at a higher rate in unlicensed driving accidents,
indicating that those cases of unlicensed driving could havepossibly been stopped. Some of these passengers would not
h a v e k n o w n t h a t t h e d r i v e r w a s u n l i c e n s e d ; h o w e v e r, i f apassenger occupies a vehicle knowing that the driver isunlicensed, he or she could face charges of aiding and abetting(i.e. assisting) unlicensed driving.

20％
15％
10％
5％
0％

23.5％

17.2％
Licensed

Unlicensed

Fig. 3: Passenger occupancy rates
ITARDA INFORMATION no.99

≉㞟↓ࡃࡑ࠺↓චチ㐠㌿࡟ࡼࡿ஦ᨾ㹼↓චチ㐠㌿ࢆ⤯ᑐ࡟ࡋ࡞࠸ࠊࡉࡏ࡞࠸⎔ቃ࡙ࡃࡾ㹼 Unlicensed driving is more likely to lead to serious accidents.
This section will describe how unlicensed driving (regardless of the type, age or place) can easily lead to serious
consequences, just as drink-driving can.

‫ڦ‬Unlicensed driving is dangerous regardless of its type.

Serious accident rate (%)

There are many types of people who engage in unlicensed driving: these include people who have neveracquired a license, people whose licenses have been revoked, people who have not undertaken renewal
procedures and allowed their licenses to expire, and drivers whose licenses have been suspended. Fig.4
shows the difference in the degree of danger depending on the type of unlicensed driving, indicating thatwhen accidents are caused by drivers who are “unlicensed in the strict sense,” the rate of serious accidents(accidents causing fatalities/serious injuries) is approximately 2.7 times the rate of such accidents among“licensed drivers.” Similarly, the serious accident rates among accidents caused by “expired” and “suspended”
drivers are higher than among “licensed” drivers. It is evident from this that while there are many different
types of unlicensed driving involving drivers with and without driving skills, the risk of causing serious
accidents is higher among all unlicensed drivers regardless of its type, compared to licensed driving.
* Accidents caused by drivers who are guilty of “violation of license
conditions” are excluded due to being too few in number.

Approx. 2.7 times

25%

Fatalities

Serious injuries
20%
15%

Approx. 1.6 times

Approx. 1.6 times

10.0％

10.4％

1.6％

1.2％

Expired license

Suspended license

16.6％

10%

6.6％

5%

0.6％

0%

Licensed

2.8％
Unlicensed driving in the strict sense

Types of unlicensed driving

Fig. 4: Serious accident rate (%) by type of unlicensed driving‫ڦ‬Unlicensed driving is dangerous regardless of age.
It is by no means the case that unlicensed driving is only dangerous when engaged in by young people.
Fig.5 shows the rate (%) of serious accidents based on the license status for each age group; theserious accident rate (%) is 1.7~3.4 times higher among unlicensed drivers than among licensed
drivers. It is evident that the dangers of unlicensed driving are not confined to the younger generation;
they are a problem that all generations need to reflect on.
Approx. 2.7 times

Serious accident rate (%)

40%
35% Approx. 3.4 times

Fatalities

Serious injuries

30%

Approx. 2.0 times

25%

Approx. 2.5 times
Approx. 1.9 timesApprox. 1.7 times

20%

27.6％

15%
10%
5%
0%

27.1％

12.9％
8.2％
0.7％

2.9％

5.6％
0.6％

2.6％

10.7％
6.3％
0.6％

2.1％

7.1％
0.6％

10.2％
2.6％

16.2％
8.8％
0.9％

11.2％
3.2％

1.6％

8.1％

Licensed Unlicensed Licensed Unlicensed Licensed Unlicensed Licensed Unlicensed Licensed Unlicensed Licensed Unlicensed
19 or under
20〜29
30〜59
60〜69
70〜79
80 or overBy age group and license status

Fig.5: Rate (%) of serious accidents by age group and license status
ITARDA INFORMATION no.99

ITARDA INFORMATION no.99‫ڦ‬Unlicensed driving is dangerous regardless of the sites where accidents occur.
Fig. 6 shows the serious accident rate for various collision sites (sites where accidents occur), indicating that theserious accident rate is higher regardless of where the accident occurred. In particular, 40.5% of all accidents
where the collision took place in side strips were serious accidents. Even for other collision sites, the serious
accident rate was higher when drivers were unlicensed, indicating that unlicensed driving is more likely to lead toserious accidents regardless of where accidents occur.

Serious accident rate (%)

40%*Other: Median strips, crossings, parking lots etc.

Approx. 2.4 times

45%

Approx. 4.0 times

Serious injuries

Fatalities

35%

Approx. 3.0 times

30%

27.5％

25%

Approx. 2.3 times
Approx. 2.5 times

20%

25.4％

15%

21.4％
14.4％

10%
5%
0%

7.0％
1.0％

6.6％

2.7％

13.0％

12.5％
5.2％
0.6％

2.2％

17.0％
7.7％
0.5％

8.1％
1.8％

0.7％

5.4％

Licensed Unlicensed Licensed Unlicensed Licensed Unlicensed Licensed Unlicensed Licensed Unlicensed
Sidewalks
Side strips
Roads
At intersections
Other

Collision sites (sites where accidents occurred)Fig. 6: Serious accident rate (%) by collision site‫ڦ‬Unlicensed driving is as dangerous as drink-driving.
The image of “drink-driving” is that it is very dangerous, but what about accidents caused by unlicensed driving?
Let us compare the two, based on the Road Traffic Accident Statistics by National Police Agency. Fig. 7 shows theserious accident rate among unlicensed driving accidents and drink-driving accidents, while Table 2 shows theabsolute numbers of such accidents, indicating that although the fatal accident rate is higher among drink-driving
accidents, the serious accident rate (accidents resulting in fatalities or serious injuries) is similar for accidents
caused by licensed drivers who have been drinking and accidents caused by unlicensed drivers who have not been
drinking, meaning that both unlicensed driving and drink-driving pose a similar degree of danger.

Fatalities

Serious injuries

Serious accident rate (%)

30%

Table 2: Serious accident rate (%) by unlicensed
driving status and drink-driving status

25%
20%

㸨

11.6％

10%

0%

Licensed

18.2％

15%

5%

Fatalities

Serious
injuries

Slightinjuries

Not drink-driving

20,612

228,7033,255,146

Drink-driving

1,491

3,326

23,847

Not drink-driving

278

2,008

10,959Drink-driving

91

258

1,065

Similar degreeof danger

6.5％

Unlicensed

5.2％

0.6％
Not drink-driving

15.2％

Drink
-driving

Licensed

2.1％

6.4％

Not drink-driving

Drink-driving㸨*1 Presence or absence of drink-driving unknown: 2,705 accidents*2 Presence or absence of drink-driving unknown: 157 accidents

Unlicensed

Fig. 7: Comparison of serious accident rates (%)
for unlicensed driving and drink-driving
ITARDA INFORMATION no.99

≉㞟↓ࡃࡑ࠺↓චチ㐠㌿࡟ࡼࡿ஦ᨾ㹼↓චチ㐠㌿ࢆ⤯ᑐ࡟ࡋ࡞࠸ࠊࡉࡏ࡞࠸⎔ቃ࡙ࡃࡾ㹼 Unlicensed drivers drive more dangerously.
In this section, we will analyze the reasons why unlicensed driving is more likely to lead to serious accidents.

‫ڦ‬Unlicensed drivers engage in dangerous driving that exceeds the speed limits.

Approx.
1.6 times

60%

90%
80%

50%

70%

Approx.
2.5 times

40%

Rate (%)

Percentage of accidents
involving excessive speed

Fig. 8 shows accidents in which the speed of the vehicle immediately before the accident occurred (danger
perception speed*) exceeded the speed limits. From this figure, it is evident that regardless of the speed limit zone,
accidents involving excessive speed comprised a higher rate of all accidents among unlicensed drivers. Fig 9shows the extent of damage to vehicles caused by accidents. It is evident that the extent of damage is greater
among unlicensed drivers, partly due to the effects of excessive speed, indicating that these drivers are engaging
in dangerous driving which leads to serious accidents.

Approx.
2.6 times

30%
20%

60%
40%
30%
20%

10%

Approx.
1.5 times

50%

Approx.
3.3 times

10%

0%

0%

30km/h or underOver 30km/h~60km/h
Speed limits

Over 60km/h

9.5％
23.6％

6.3％
16.5％

31.8％
51.1％

Licensed
Unlicensed

Licensed
Unlicensed

Fig. 8: Percentage of danger perception speedby speed limit and license status

Major damage

Intermediate
damageMinor damage/no damage

2.2％
7.3％

16.0％
24.7％

81.8％
68.0％

Fig. 9: Damage rate (%) of vehicles by license status in
vehicle-to-vehicle accidents involving same types of vehicle(Example: accidents between passenger vehicles
or accidents between two mopeds)* Danger perception speed: Speed of vehicle immediately before the driver took actions to avoid the accident such as operating
the brake or steering wheel (speed immediately before the accident)
Level of damage:
Excessive: The vehicle has lost all function as a vehicle and can no longer be restored.
Intermediate: The vehicle requires dismantling/replacement repair of its parts or widespread body panel repairs.
Slight: The vehicle body has sustained slight scratch marks in one portion or requires part replacement/minor repair.

‫ڦ‬Among unlicensed drivers, there is a higher rate of traffic violations at intersections causing accidents.
Ignoring traffic signals, obstructing crossing pedestrians and disregarding stop sign are violations related tointersections which can lead to traffic accidents. Fig. 10 shows the rate of dangerous violations related tointersections among all accidents; accidents caused by ignoring traffic signals and disregarding stop sign occurred
at a higher rate among unlicensed drivers. Therefore, we can suggest that people who engage in unlicensed
driving tend to engage in dangerous driving which can lead to traffic accidents.

Unlicensed

Ignoring traﬃc signals

Obstructing crossing
pedestrians

Disregarding stop sign

6.9％

1.2％

6.0％
Approx.
1.5 times

Licensed

Ignoring
traﬃc signals

Obstructing crossing
pedestrians

Disregarding
stop sign

3.0％

1.8％

4.5％

0%

5%

10%

Percentage

Fig. 10: Percentage of traﬃc violations causing accidents by license status
ITARDA INFORMATION no.99

15%

ITARDA INFORMATION no.99

 Unlicensed drivers have a low level of road user ethics in general.
In this section, we will analyze the level of road user ethics among the people who engage in unlicensed drivingfrom a different perspective.

‫ ڦ‬Unlicensed drivers often flee the scenes ofaccidents.
16%
14%

Rate (%)

Fig. 11 shows the percentages of drivers who, after
causing accidents, flee the scene of the accident
without rescuing injured parties (violation of duty torescue) or reporting the accident to the police (violationof duty to report). A higher percentage of drivers
causing unlicensed accidents flee the scene of an
accident after it occurs without taking appropriate steps
due to reasons such as fear of their unlicensed state
being detected, thus compounding their crimes.

Approx. 30 times

12%
10%

Approx. 6 times

8%
6%
4%
2%
0%

Hit-and-run

Failure to report

Licensed

0.5％

Unlicensed

15.2％

0.8％
4.8％

Fig. 11: Percentage of hit-and-run accidents
and failures to report by license status‫ڦ‬Unlicensed drivers also drink-drive.

Approx. 12 times
12%

Drink-driving
percengtage

Fig. 12 shows the percentage of drink-driving among
drivers who cause accidents. Whereas only 0.8% oflicensed drivers who caused accidents were
drink-driving, the percentage was 9.6% among
unlicensed drivers— approximately 12 times more. It isevident from this that a great many unlicensed drivers
lack the most basic awareness of traffic rules.

10%
8%
6%

9.6％

4%
2%
0%

0.8％
Licensed

Unlicensed

Fig. 12: Percentage of drink-driving
by license status‫ڦ‬Unlicensed drivers often fail to use seat belts and helmets.
Fig. 13 and 14 show the seat belt and helmet non-use rates among road users; it is evident that these rates arehigher among unlicensed road users who cause accidents. Looking at the helmet non-use rates by age groupshown in Fig. 14, across all age groups the non-use rate is higher among unlicensed road users who cause
accidents, indicating that many members of this group have a low level of road user ethics.
Approx. 23 times

Approx. 10 times

12%

40%

8%
6%

10.6％

4%
2%

Non-use rate (%)

Non-use rate (%)

35%
10%

30%
25%

Approx.
15 times

20%
15%

Approx.
10 times10%
5%0%
Licensed Unlicensed Licensed Unlicensed Licensed Unlicensed

1.0％

24 or under0%
Licensed

Unlicensed

Fig. 13: Seat belt non-use rate (%)
by license status

Non-use rate

25~59

60 or over

1.6％ 36.5％ 0.7％ 10.5％ 0.9％ 8.6％

Fig. 14: Helmet non-use rate (%)
by license status
ITARDA INFORMATION no.99

To prevent unlicensed driving accidents, it is essential to signal clearly that this behavior is extremely
dangerous, and at the same time to ensure that people attempting to engage in unlicensed driving
are prevented from doing so, since such drivers tend to have a low level of road user ethics.
In the future, systems to prevent unlicensed driving will probably be introduced in the vehicles wedrive; in the meantime, however, let us make sure that we do what we can do now.

Some people may feel a little resistant towards some of the recommendations given above; however,given the fact that unlicensed driving can so easily lead to serious accidents which result in thedeaths of numerous people every year, society as a whole must work together to create anenvironment in which unlicensed driving is not tolerated.
(Yusuke Hayashi)‫ە‬ᙜࢭࣥࢱ࣮は、平成４年（１９９２年）に国家公安委員会、運輸省（当時）、建設省（当時）から設立許可を受けて、公益法人として設立されました。
その後平成２４年（２０１２年）
４月に公益財団法人に移行しました。
我が国で唯一道路交通法の定める
ࠕ஺㏻஦ᨾㄪᰝศᯒࢭࣥࢱ࣮ࠖࡢᣦᐃࢆᅜᐙබᏳጤဨ఍࠿ࡽཷࡅࡓ
ࠉㄪᰝ◊✲ᶵ㛵であり、஺㏻஦ᨾࡢ㜵Ṇ࡜⿕ᐖࡢ㍍ῶࡢࡓࡵࡢ交通事故の調査分析を行っています。
●当センターが行う交通事故調査は、交通事故の低減を目的とした調査・研究のためのもので、警察の捜査や保険会社の調査とは全く別のものです。
●イタルダ・インフォメーションのバックナンバーは全て下記のウェブサイトに掲載しており、自由にダウンロード
できます。また他にも、無料でダウンロードできる統計資料、研究報告書もございますので、御活用下さい。

බ┈㈈ᅋἲே஺㏻஦ᨾ⥲ྜศᯒࢭࣥࢱ࣮
࠾ၥྜࡏඛ‫ࢺ࢖ࢧࣈ࢙࢘ە‬KWWSZZZLWDUGDRUMSࠉ‫࣮࣓ࣝ(ە‬NRKR#LWDUGDRUMS
つくば 交通事故調査事務所

ITARDA INFORMATION no.99

No.99

25
3

公益財団法人 交通事故総合分析センター               
dangerous behavior that can lead to serious accidents.
                 
license regularly to make sure that you do not accidentally forget to renew it.
                
license is valid.
!             check original licenses themselves rather than checking photocopies or relying on    
 "
#                 
driving using your vehicle.

ITARDA INFORMATION

Were you under the impression that unlicensed driving was not a serious matter?
From the analysis in this issue, it is evident that when unlicensed drivers are involved in accidents,
such accidents tend to be “more serious in nature (accidents causing fatalities and serious injuries),”and that unlicensed driving is characterized by “consistently high levels of danger regardless of thetype of unlicensed driving or driver age,” “a higher rate of dangerous violations related to intersections
such as excessive speed and ignoring traffic signals,” and “a low level of road user ethics in generalamong people who engage in unlicensed driving.” We hope that the above analysis has proven that
unlicensed driving is genuinely dangerous.

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