Deaths involving elderly people using electric wheelchairs have been rising over the past decade, prompting authorities to warn users to take precautions, especially when operating the devices alone.
Five people age 60 or older died in accidents involving electric wheelchairs between January and August, according to the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE).
The number of such deaths among people in that age group have increased since records of deaths and injuries from electric wheelchair accidents began in 2015, and are expected to continue rising at a steady rate, said Tomoya Shimizu, a NITE spokesperson.
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