“Driving graduation ceremonies” are new way to help coax elderly to give up their licenses【Video】

This idea might help move some unsafe drivers off the road.

In Japan, there has been a lot of news in recent years about car accidents. And among those reported, elderly drivers have made headlines with reckless driving or simply mistaking the brake and accelerator functions.

To try to combat this, police have been asking elderly drivers to surrender their licenses. But there are many drivers who are too stubborn or simply don’t want to give up the freedom they’ve had for many years.

So, NEXCO (Nippon Expressway Company Limited) came up with the concept of giving the driver a “driving graduation ceremony” to help them ease into the next chapter of their lives minus their cars.

▼ The story of an elderly man and his family become the back drop of the video that shows off one such ceremony.

Titled Dad and Mom’s Graduation Trip ~The Last Long Drive~ , we are taken inside the real story of a 78-year-old father and his family.

Having driven for over 48 years, his family was beginning to worry about him taking the road, afraid that he would get into an accident one day. But no amount of reasoning would persuade him to give up his licence.

So his family proposed a graduation trip, where he would take the wheel one last time, bringing his wife on a road trip.

He had driven his family for many years, taking them on many road trips. So what better way to draw a close than a road trip? He could enjoy being on the road and spending precious time with his wife.

▼ They enjoyed snacks along the way and even spent a relaxing night at an onsen.

But the most unforgettable surprise would come on the last day, when he drove to where his family waited for them, the venue of the graduation ceremony.

He was met with a big screen that projected images of his trips with his families and a marching band to celebrate the occasion. His children and grandchildren came forward to congratulate their father/grandfather on his graduation and to thank him for taking them on trips up til now.

His wife, who had known about this ceremony from the get-go and kept it a secret, also read out a thank you letter, to show support, appreciation and love. The video ends with flowers, tears and smiles, touching the hearts of those watching.

It’s an interesting idea, and a lot better than the somewhat ridiculous one of offering retired drivers $1 off McDonald’s meals that the police came up with before. Let’s hope more of these new ideas will start to come out to help lessen accidents on the road.

Source, images: Youtube/E-NEXCO driveplaza
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