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AMENDMENT OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC LAW



THE FOLLOWING ARE AMENDMENT OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC LAW OF LATE.
PLEASE NOTE NEW REGULATIONS AND MARKS


NEW REGULATIONS AGAINST BAD AND DANGEROUS DRIVERS


Strict penalty will be imposed on drivers under the influence of alcohol.
(a) Drunken driving Imprisonment at forced labor for not more than five years or a fine of not more than 1,000,000 yen. illustration
(b) Driving under the influence of alcohol Imprisonment at forced labor for not more than three years or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen.
(c) Refusal of breathalyzer test Imprisonment at forced labor for not more than three months or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen.

The law now prohibits a person from providing a vehicle or any alcoholic drinks to drivers who are likely to drive under the influence of alcohol, and also to request a driver who had alcoholic drinks to drive a vehicle. Penalty will be applied to a person as follows.
1. A person who provides a vehicle
  • If you provided a vehicle to a drunken driver you will be punished by imprisonment at forced labor for not more than five years or a fine of not more than 1,000,000 yen.
  • If you provided a vehicle to a driver driving under the influence of alcohol you will be punished by imprisonment at forced labor for not more than three years or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen.
2. A person who provides alcoholic drinks
  • If you provided alcoholic drinks to a driver who committed drunken driving, you will be punished by imprisonment at forced labor for not more than three years or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen.
  • If you provided alcoholic drinks to a driver driving under the influence of alcohol you will be punished by imprisonment at forced labor for not more than two years or a fine of not more than 300,000 yen.
3. A person who rides in the same vehicle with the drunken driver.
  • If the driver was drunken driving, the passenger shall be punished by imprisonment at forced labor for not more than three years or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen.
  • If the driver was drunken driving under the influence of alcohol, the passenger shall be punished by imprisonment at forced labor for not more than two years or a fine of not more than 300,000 yen.

[NOTE]
Drunken Driving, it refers to driving a motor vehicle while his/her blood or breath alcohol content is above the legal limit set by law, which is the level at which a person can not drive safely.
Driving under the influence of alcohol, it refers to driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and when the amount of alcohol in the breath reaches 0.15 mg/l or over.


RULES FOR BICYCLES TRAVELING ON THE SIDEWALKS HAVE BEEN CHANGED.


Conditions when bicycles may travel on the sidewalks have been revised. (Art.2 and 3 newly added)
  1. When there is a sign of "Bicycles and Pedestrians Only" on the side walk, cyclists may travel on the sidewalk. (Show the sign on the right)
  2. Cyclists aged under 13, aged over 70 or disable may travel on the sidewalk.
  3. When traveling on the sidewalk is necessary, judging from the roadway and traffic condition, cyclists may travel on the sidewalk.
[Traffic sign] Bicycles and Pedestrians only
[Traffic sign]
Bicycles and Pedestrians only

When the traffic light for pedestrians is Green, bicycles may proceed on pedestrian's crossing.

Guardians of children aged under 13 should have their children wear a riding helmet when letting them ride a bicycle.


REGULATION TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS


illustrationBack-seat passengers are now obliged to wear seatbelts! Not only the driver and the front-seat passenger, but all passengers including back-seat passengers are obliged to wear seatbelts. In case of this obligation is violated on expressways or roads for the use of motor vehicles only, the driver will be imposed one point of administrative penalty.


illustration Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department