免許返納が最多６０万人　昨年、７５歳未満でも急増―警察庁

　昨年１年間に運転免許証を自主返納した人の数が、１９９８年の返納制度導入以降最多の６０万１０２２人（前年比１７万９８３２人増）となったことが９日、警察庁のまとめで分かった。
　７５歳以上の運転者の返納が３５万４２８件（同５万８３３９件増）で５８％を占める一方、７５歳未満が同１２万１４９３人増の２５万５９４人と大幅に増えた。
　東京・池袋で昨年４月に母子が死亡するなど高齢運転者による事故が相次ぐ中、自主返納への社会的な関心が高まったことが背景にあるとみられる。返納すると、タクシー運賃の割引などの特典がある運転経歴証明書の交付が受けられる。
　警察庁によると、昨年末時点で７５歳以上の運転免許保有者は約５８２万人。同庁は、高齢や病気などで運転に不安を感じる人や家族への相談窓口と専用ダイヤル（＃８０８０）を設けており、担当者は「積極的に活用してほしい」と話した。（2020/03/09-17:10）

The number of people who voluntarily gave up their driver's licenses in 2019 reached 601,022, up by 179,832 from the preceding year, National Police Agency data showed Monday.
   The figure is the highest since the system to return licenses was introduced in 1998. People aged 75 or over accounted for 350,428, or 58 pct, of the total, and those aged 74 or under for 250,594, up by 121,493 year on year.
   The growth in voluntary returns is believed to have reflected heightened public interest following a string of traffic accidents by elderly drivers, including a high-profile case last April in which a woman in her 30s and her three-year-old daughter were hit and killed by a car driven by a man aged nearly 90 in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district.
   Certificates of driving history can be issued to those who voluntarily give up their licenses, making them eligible for reduced taxi fares and other benefits.
   According to the police agency, some 5.82 million people aged 75 or over held driver's licenses as of the end of last year.