Shiga Prefecture faces rising traffic deaths and school bus crashes

A traffic‑safety forum was held on July 28 in Otsu City’s Collabo Shiga 21 venue, organized by the SAFE‑TOWN Shiga project and backed by Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance. University and police officials addressed the prefecture’s record‑high increase in traffic‑related fatalities – the worst growth rate nationwide – and presented preventive measures such as pre‑simulation traffic‑regulation planning around the HATOSTADIUM in nearby Hikone.

In a separate development, the Shiga Prefectural Assembly was briefed that 48 school‑bus incidents involving the special‑needs school have occurred over the past five years, underscoring ongoing concerns for student safety on public roads.