Japan Wants Aging Drivers to Swap Their Licenses for Ramen

iStock/Thinkstock(LONDON) — Geriatric drivers are increasingly becoming an issue on Japan’s roads. But police there have now come up with a solution.

The Guardian reports that elderly drivers in central Japan will be given discounts on ramen noodles at 176 outlets of the Sugakiya restaurant chain, if they surrender their driver’s license.

At a 15 percent discount, a meal of ramen, rice and salad would cost just 500 yen, or about $4.50 in U.S. dollars.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently called for action to address the rise in road accidents by drivers over 74 years old. According to the national police agency of Japan, accidents involving elderly drivers have risen as much as 12.8 percent in the last decade.

It’s not a problem that’s going to go away soon. Japan’s population is aging rapidly. More than a quarter of Japan’s 127 million people are 65 or older, with an estimated 17 million of them holding driver’s licenses.

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