Nikkei Newspaper November 1, 2024 5:00 The revised Road Traffic Act, which includes penalties for using a mobile phone while riding a bicycle (distracted driving) and driving under the influence of alcohol, came into effect on the 1st. The number of accidents involving smartphones while driving is increasing, especially among young people, so the government is aiming to deter them by strengthening penalties. A fine system will also be applied to bicycle traffic violations from 2026. The rules have changed significantly, so publicizing them will be a challenge. “From November, penalties for drunk driving and distracted driving will be strengthened. Please be careful as it is easy to use your smartphone while driving.” In late October, police officers handed out pamphlets about new traffic rules in front of a station in Ota Ward, Tokyo, and called for compliance. The Metropolitan Police Department is working to spread the awareness by asking restaurants, mobile phone stores, bicycle shops and other establishments to help distribute flyers and put up posters. Distracted driving refers to the act of talking on a smartphone or looking at the screen while driving. Until now, this was prohibited by regulations of the Public Safety Commission of each prefecture, and violations were punishable by a fine of up to 50,000 yen. The revised Road Traffic Act, which came into effect on the 1st, establishes uniform penalties across the country. The revised law stipulates that the penalty for distracted driving is imprisonment for up to six months or a fine of up to 100,000 yen. It is also a violation to stare at a smartphone attached to the steering wheel. If an accident or other danger is actually caused, the penalties will be heavier, including imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 300,000 yen. The strengthening of regulations comes as accidents increase. According to the National Police Agency, there were a total of 454 accidents involving distracted driving in the five years from 2018 to 2022, 1.5 times the number from 2013 to 2017 (a total of 295). There were 18 accidents resulting in death or serious injury while using mobile phones from January to June 2012, the highest number compared to the same period since statistics began in 2007. The person in charge believes that “the abundance of content for smartphones, such as videos and game apps, may also be a factor.” Regulations regarding drunk driving have also been strengthened. Driving under the influence of alcohol with 0.15 milligrams or more of alcohol per litre of breath will be subject to new penalties. The penalty is imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 500,000 yen, and penalties will also be imposed for providing alcohol or a bicycle to someone who is likely to drink and drive. Until now, only “drunken driving,” that is, driving that is unable to drive normally due to the influence of alcohol, was subject to penalties. An analysis of accidents from the past 10 years revealed that the rate of fatal and serious injury bicycle accidents involving drunk drivers was 29.5%, approximately 1.9 times higher than the rate for those without alcohol (15.9%). The aim is to prevent serious accidents. Distracted riding and drunk driving are also subject to the Bicycle Driver Training System, which requires drivers who repeatedly commit dangerous traffic violations to take safety courses. If a person commits certain violations repeatedly, they will be ordered to take the course by the prefectural public safety commission, and if they fail to comply, they will be fined up to 50,000 yen. While traffic accidents are on the decline nationwide, accidents involving bicycles are on the rise. In 2023, the number of cases increased for the fourth consecutive year, reaching 72,339, an increase of approximately 3% from the previous year. The proportion of accidents involving fatalities in relation to all traffic accidents was 23.5%, up 4.5 points from 2014 (19.0%). As of 2026, bicycles will also be subject to the “traffic violation notification system,” which will exempt bicycles from criminal penalties for common traffic violations if fines are paid within a certain period of time. This will apply to violations such as ignoring traffic signals, and most bicycle violations are expected to have fines of 5,000 to 6,000 yen. Because no license is required to ride a bicycle, there are few opportunities to learn traffic rules, so it is important to take measures to raise awareness according to generation. The National Police Agency, together with bicycle and education-related organizations, will compile safety education guidelines by fiscal 2025.
What? They make stupid rules like if you drink and drive a car, your license will be revoked, so I buy a bike and go out drinking Don’t mess with me, I’ll definitely ride my bike even after drinking! You guys feel the same, don’t you?
>>1 I’m worried that there will be an increase in videos showing people using their smartphones while driving. It seems like the dashcam data will be able to catch it all.
In bicycle accidents, it is often the driver who suffers the greatest damage, and bicycles should not be treated the same as cars, which can cause damage to others.
You can see distracted driving when you see it, but what about drunk driving? Are we going to check cyclists for alcohol intake? If we have to check all cyclists, then we should check children too because there’s a chance they’ve been drinking lol.
>>28 It seems like Uber has been declining a lot lately. Is it because the hourly wages in other industries have gone up and people are quitting because it’s not worth it?
I’m not going to go super fast, but once you get used to the overly-assisted modified electric assist, you won’t be able to ride the normal version I’ll probably go back to the normal version of the speed sensor with the magnets removed and see how it goes for a while At a start like this, the muscle-brained high school graduates are going to be really enthusiastic.
I’m more afraid of ignoring traffic lights than driving something else. When you start driving a car or motorcycle, you start to obey traffic lights, but I guess it’s more like a pedestrian mentality.
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