title: Factors contributing to driver choice after hitting a pedestrian in Japan.
abstract: In Japan, where pedestrian deaths account for a third of road traffic fatalities, 7.4% of victims die from hit-and-run accidents. To identify determinants for drivers considering leaving an accident scene after hitting a pedestrian, environment-related, driver-related, and pedestrian-related factors were examined using Japanese national police data. Results generally confirmed the conceptual framework of previous studies, which examined hit-and-run behavior based on a classic economic cost-benefit approach. However, results suggest that effects of road-related factors and harsher legal punishments have limited influence for reducing hit-and-run likelihood after a driver hits a pedestrian. Measures to prevent hit-and-run accidents are presented herein.
authors.affiliation: National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba-ken 277-0882, Japan. Electronic address: fujita@nrips.go.jp.
authors.forename: Goro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.affiliation: National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba-ken 277-0882, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.affiliation: National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba-ken 277-0882, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kihira
authors.affiliation: National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba-ken 277-0882, Japan.
authors.forename: Ritsu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kosuge
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000293:injuries*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; Hit-and-run; Logistic regression; Pedestrian; Road safety