Tokyo-to : MRI brain checking would be required for all drivers of metropolitan bus

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

都営バスの全運転手に脳のＭＲＩ検査義務づけ 東京都

2018年11月13日 5時39分

バスの運転手が病気や体調不良などで運転中に意識を失うケースが全国各地で相次ぐ中、東京都は都営バスのすべての運転手を対象にＭＲＩを使った脳の検査を義務づけることになりました。

東京都は都営バスに勤務する2000人余りのすべての運転手を対象に、今年度からＭＲＩを使った「脳ＭＲＩ健診」を３年に１度、受けることを義務づけます。

この検査で脳梗塞や脳出血の有無などを調べ、異常が見つかった運転手には医師の診断や精密検査を受けてもらいます。そのうえで、デスクワークへの配置転換などを検討するということです。

これは全国各地でバスの運転手が病気や体調不良で運転中に意識を失うケースが相次いでいるためで、１人当たり２万円程度かかるとされる「脳ＭＲＩ健診」の費用は都が全額負担します。都によりますと、くも膜下出血の発症率が高まるとされる50歳以上の人は都営バスの運転手の60％近くに上るということで、こうした人たちに優先的に検査を受けてもらうことにしています。

国土交通省によりますと、バス事業を運営する自治体がすべての運転手にＭＲＩを使った脳の検査を義務づけるのは全国的に珍しいということです。

Translation

Due to sickness and worsening of physical condition etc., cases in which bus drivers lost conscious while driving a bus happened in succession in all regions of the country; Tokyo-to was going to require a cerebral check using MRI targeting for all drivers of metropolitan bus.

Tokyo-to targeted its some 2000 drivers who worked at the metropolitan bus to be required to receive "cerebral MRI medical checkup" using MRI once every three 3 years starting from this fiscal year.

The checking aimed at finding out the presence of cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage. When abnormality was found in a driver, he would receive doctor's checking for closer examination. On top of that it was said that consideration would be made to relocate the driver to desk work.

Because there were cases that drivers fainted away due to worsening of sickness and physical condition while driving a bus at every region of the country, the Tokyo Metropolis would pay all expenses for the cost of "cerebral MRI medical checkup” which was supposed to cost about 20,000 yen per person. According to Tokyo Metropolis, it was said that the development rate of the subarachnoid hemorrhage was high among people 50-year-old or more, which was representing nearly 60 % of all drivers of the metropolitan bus, and such people had a priority to receive an examination.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, it was unusual for an autonomous body which managed bus service to require a cerebral checkup using MRI on all its drivers nationwide.

So, it is good new for passengers in Japan as far as road safety is concerned. I think it is a good practice that bus companies in  other parts of the world should consider following.