Authorities are calling on older people to recheck the way they are using their mobility-assisting devices such as electric wheelchairs and power-assisted bicycles, in order to avoid accidents involving falls.

There were 56 accidents involving people age 65 or older that occurred while using electric wheelchairs in the decade that ended last March, according to the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation, or NITE.

In September 2022, a man in his 90s died while on an electric wheelchair in Nagano Prefecture, after falling about 3 meters from a fenceless parking area due to a wheelchair operating error.

In another case, an elderly person on an electric wheelchair who did not use its fall prevention function suffered injuries from a fall.

The number of accidents involving elderly people using power-assisted bicycles came to 146 in the same period, according to NITE.

Of the total, 122 cases, or 84%, were serious injuries, caused by age-related conditions such as brittle bones and not being able to react quickly due to deterioration of response speeds and balancing skills.

The institute is asking elderly users of power-assisted bicycles to make sure their handlebars and pedals are not loose, and not to put too much faith in the assist function.

There were 21 accidents involving elderly people using walkers and other walking aids.

In November 2020, a man in his 90s in Tokyo suffered serious injuries after he lost his balance on his walker on a slope and fell.

In order to prevent these accidents, NITE advises elderly people using mobility-assisting equipment to check roads that they usually use with their families, and avoid railroad crossings where the wheels tend to get stuck and wide roads that require time to cross, as well as steep slopes.

It is also important to check the amount of battery charge remaining and make sure the brakes are working properly before going out, NITE said.