Factors contributing to driver choice after hitting a pedestrian in Japan

• Pedestrian hit-and-run accidents were examined using a Japanese national database.
• Logistic regression models were constructed, identifying 16 factors.
• Results show a cost–benefit approach as useful to assess hit-and-run behavior.
• Road-related measures and punishment against hit-and-run have limited effects.
• Measures to increase the perceived risk of discovery are effective.

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.