Pedestrians copping the blame in Japan?

There's something about a piece of road safety advice I saw in the news today that made me scratch my head.

Following several fatal traffic accidents here in Niigata in just a week, the prefectural government issued a "high traffic fatality alert" for the first time in almost seven years. The governor warned that drivers can become more distracted during summer(?!!), and urged pedestrians to take extra care, particularly around dusk and at night. He also encouraged people to wear reflective materials so drivers can see them.

I understand the logic in part, since being visible is no doubt important. But I can't help wondering why the emphasis falls on what pedestrians should do. What about the drivers?

When six people die in a week, shouldn't we also be asking whether speeding, distraction, alcohol, fatigue, or age played a role? The ageing population here makes this an increasingly important conversation to have, particularly in rural areas like mine where people can be heavily dependent on cars.

I remember the shock our community had recently when an 86-year-old driver was involved in an accident that killed an assistant professor from the International University of Japan. It was a reminder that a pedestrian can do everything right and still have no control over what happens behind the wheel. The driver claimed he'd hit a large tree, which shows just how unaware he truly was of his surroundings. 

By all means, wear something reflective if you want to. In my opinion though, road safety shouldn't become a matter of pedestrians having to make themselves glowing neon signs to avoid being hit.