tech2 News Staff

Drunk commuters in Japan tumbling into trains is said to be a big problem. Reportedly, in 2013 there were 221 cases of passengers getting hit by trains while either on the platform or having fallen onto the tracks, with 60 percent of these caused by drunkenness. To curb this problem, railway operator JR West will soon introduce surveillance cameras that can quickly detect if anyone is drunk on platforms.

According to Wall Street Journal, the company's new system will use 46 cameras to automatically search for signs of intoxication and alert attendants if necessary. Apart from staggering, a few other clues to check would include remaining on the platform for an extended time for no apparent reason as well as sleeping on benches. The West Japan Railway also added that drunk passengers would remain motionless for long periods before running quickly towards the train.

In conversation with Japan Times, a JR West spokesman said, "We found that many drunken people walk headlong off the platform and onto the track and that this often happens very quickly. This was a surprising result for us too." He added, "It’s too early to tell at the moment, but we thought changing the direction may help prevent accidents."

However, West Japan Railway stated that the system will not be used to identify people in any way. At the moment, the system is only in place at Kyobashi station but the company is considering to install similar systems at other stations in the future.