85-year-old driver mows down pedestrians in Tokyo

A distressing sight occurred in the busy streets of Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, as a car driven by an 85-year-old male driver rammed into several unsuspecting pedestrians.

Police arrested senior citizen Junji Sanada for negligence resulting in injuries, after he plowed through seven people including a  2-year-old boy, Japan Today reported.

According to rescue workers at the scene, Sanada’s vehicle spun out of control  in front of a department store about 300 meters from JR Kichijoji Station in Musashino.

His car struck  a bus and went full speed to the path of pedestrians near an underground parking lot. The onslaught only stopped when he hit a guardrail on the other side of the road, the report said.

Speaking after the accident, Sanada said he had no intention of hitting the pedestrians.

“I may have stepped on the wrong pedal, but I don’t remember clearly,” he admitted to members of the police.

Luckily, the victims were all conscious and did not sustain any life-threatening injuries. Both Sanada and her female passenger were left unscathed as well.

Fatal traffic accidents involving the elderly in Japan have risen over the years, prompting the government to impose stricter guidelines for aged drivers.

The Japanese government is also giving incentives to seniors who voluntarily give up their licenses.  Khristian Ibarrola /ra

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