Collection of traffic accident cases involving persons with visual impairment and construction of a case database

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K04616
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 25010:Social systems engineering-related
• Research Institution: The Ohara Memorial Institute for Science of Labour (2021-2022); Seikei University (2018-2020)
• Principal Investigator: OHKURA Motohiro 公益財団法人大原記念労働科学研究所, 研究部, 特別研究員 (30119341)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 視覚障害者 / 交通事故 / 転倒事故 / 事故事例データベース / 事故の未然防止 / 安全移動支援

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of the study was to collect as many cases of traffic and falling accidents involving pedestrians with visual impairment as possible, and to contribute to prevention by publishing them as a database on the Internet. As of the end of April 2023, there are 26 cases in the database, including 14 traffic accidents, 9 falling accidents, and 3 others.
All traffic accidents were caused by the driver's ignorance of the surroundings. Moreover, in many cases, the drivers left the scene without getting out of their cars or bicycles after the accidents occurred. It has been pointed out that drivers should adhere to traffic rules and exhibit proper social conduct as members of society. To prevent falling accidents, pedestrians with visual impairment need to check the road surface on their paths. They should be especially cautions in areas in height differences or unfamiliar locations.

Free Research Field

人間工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では，視覚障害歩行者の交通・転倒事故について、被害者の現場への同行を得て、それに至るまでの歩道や車道上での行動，関係車両の動静および周辺の物理的な環境条件などを詳細に調べ、事故の原因に迫った。ここに他には見られない本研究の独創があった。
研究成果として，事故防止に向けて、視覚障害当事者の進路路面の確認や車両運転者の交通ルールの順守等の意識づけに加え、車両の動静をあらわす音信号や車両運転者に障害当事者の存在を示す光信号の提示などハードウェア面からのアプローチの必要性も指摘された。