Half of bus drivers greet each other via hand wave, defying rules

Nearly half of bus drivers in Japan still exchange greetings waving or nodding when their vehicles pass each other, despite rules banning such gestures to prevent accidents, according to a data analysis group.

An investigation conducted by the Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis in nine prefectures across the country found that out of a total of 612 drivers, 292 individuals, or 47.7 percent, raised a hand or gave a quick nod to their fellow drivers.

It was conducted from August 2022 through February this year in the wake of a fatal bus accident in August 2021 in Kitakyush...