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“The advantage (of driving your own car) is that you can go wherever and whenever you want. I hope I can continue driving until I die,” he said.
Most accidents caused by elderly drivers result from them mixing up the accelerator and the brake or losing control of the steering wheel, the police agency said, calling it a “pressing problem.”
Masato Zenyouji, an instructor at the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), said one of the problems lay in the declining ability of older drivers “to instantly make a judgement, such as suddenly hitting the brake.”
“When the speed increases, their field of view narrows down, which could lead to accidents,” he said.
The driving course attempts to address this by physical exercises such as stretching as well as drills to improve cognitive functions.
Another factor in accidents is overconfidence from drivers who have often been behind the wheel for decades, said Masabumi Tokoro, a professor at Rissho University who has been studying elderly drivers.
According to a survey Tokoro conducted, 10 percent of drivers in their 30s thought they were capable of avoiding accidents, while the figure stood at 53 percent for those aged 75 and older.
“They think they can avoid accidents with their driving skills,” he said.
Authorities have taken steps with legislation, introducing laws in March forcing drivers aged 75 or older to pass cognitive tests when renewing their licences.
And carmakers are trying to do their bit as well, installing features such as a system that stalls acceleration if the driver steps on the gas pedal instead of the brake.
But this is being rolled out only gradually and only for new models.
According to the transport ministry, the system to slow acceleration was installed in around one third of 4.4 million new passenger cars manufactured in 2015.
– ‘I’m fine now’ –
Tokoro believes the problem will not be solved with cognitive tests or bribing older drivers to return their licenses.
“It’s inconvenient in rural Japan and you cannot do anything without a car. That’s why (older drivers) won’t let go of their permits,” he explained.
Tokoro said the government needed to foster an environment in which older people can lead a normal life even after handing in their licence.
He cited as examples reasonably priced taxi-sharing services and a drive to encourage older residents to move to city centres from suburban areas.
Japanese IT firm DeNA has been testing self-driving cars to provide a new means of transportation in ageing rural communities by 2020.
Back at the track, Takahashi said she was hoping to continue driving until 85 years old.
She added: “I think I can keep driving if I study and become confident. I’ll stop driving if I feel I have health problems.”
