Photo/Illutration The Asahi Shimbun

Traffic accident fatalities in Japan fell to a record low of 3,215 in 2019, down 317 from 2018, the National Police Agency announced on Jan. 6.

Deaths from traffic accidents have declined four years in a row, the NPA statistics showed.

More than half of the victims were age 65 or older, who totaled 1,782 deaths in 2019.

Though the number of fatalities declined by 184 from 2018 for people in the age bracket, the group still accounted for 55.4 percent of all traffic deaths.

The NPA credited more people wearing seat belts, automatic braking systems in vehicles and a decrease in accidents involving speeding cars for helping reduce deaths.

By prefecture, Chiba topped the list for the first time with 172 deaths (14 fewer than 2018).

Aichi had 156 deaths (down 33), escaping from the top position for the first time in 17 years. Hokkaido recorded 152 deaths (11 more than 2018).

Hyogo had 138 fatalities (down 14), while Tokyo had 133 (down 10).

In Kanagawa, 132 people died in traffic accidents (down 30). Osaka had 130 deaths (down 17). In Saitama, 129 people were killed (down 46).

Four car accidents that killed more than three people at a time occurred in 2019 by Dec. 27, a marked decrease from 2018, which saw 10 such deadly accidents.

Japan's worst year for traffic deaths was 1970, with 16,765 fatalities.

Nationwide traffic deaths dropped below 10,000 in 1996 and have continued to fall since.

In 2009, the number dropped below 5,000. The central government is seeking to lower traffic deaths to under 2,500 by the end of this year.