Case · Japan
14-year-old walking along a platform edge killed after being caught between train and platform
In July 2018, a 14-year-old walking home from school was caught between an arriving train and the platform at JR Higashi-Shizuoka Station in Japan and died. A local newspaper reported he had been distracted by his smartphone.
· 2 sources
- When
- July 19, 2018, around 4:15 p.m.
- Where
- JR Higashi-Shizuoka Station, Shizuoka, Japan
- Who
- 14-year-old junior high school boy
- Outcome
- Died
Around 4:15 p.m. on July 19, 2018, a 14-year-old third-year junior high school student was caught between an arriving local train and the platform on the Tokaido Line at JR Higashi-Shizuoka Station in Shizuoka, and died. He was on his way home from school. Police said he had been walking along the edge of the platform.
Two days later, the Chunichi Shimbun reported that he had been distracted by his smartphone as he walked.
歩行中にスマートフォンに気を取られ
"distracted by his smartphone as he walked" — Chunichi Shimbun (July 21, 2018)
What this case shows
On a platform edge, a single misstep is dangerous. An arriving train brings wind and noise, but with eyes on a screen it's hard to judge distance. Agree that on platforms, your child stands behind the yellow line with the phone put away until the train stops.
