Cyclists utilizing a cell phone whereas driving in Japan might withstand six months jail beneath strict new guidelines launched Friday.
Those that breach the revised highway visitors legislation will be punished with a most sentence of six months in jail, or a effective of 100,000 yen ($655; £508).
The variety of accidents involving cyclists began climbing in 2021, as extra individuals opted to cycle as a substitute of utilizing public transport in the course of the pandemic, in line with native media. Authorities at the moment are racing to control riders.
Moreover cracking down on cellphone utilization, the brand new guidelines additionally goal cyclists driving drunk, with a penalty of as much as three years in jail or a effective of 500,000 yen ($3,278; £2,541).
Hours after the brand new legal guidelines got here into impact, Osaka authorities confirmed on Friday that that they had already recorded 5 violations, together with two males who had been caught driving bicycles whereas drunk. One of many males had collided with one other bicycle owner, however no accidents had been reported.
Underneath the brand new guidelines, cyclists who trigger accidents will be fined as much as 300,000 yen ($2,000; £1,500 ) or jailed as much as a yr.
The entire variety of visitors accidents throughout Japan could also be declining, however bicycle accidents are on the rise. Greater than 72,000 bicycle accidents had been recorded in Japan in 2023, accounting for over 20% of all visitors accidents within the nation, in line with native media.
Within the first half of 2024 there was one fatality and 17 critical accidents from accidents involving cyclists utilizing their telephones — the very best quantity because the police began recording such statistics in 2007.
Between 2018 and 2022 there have been 454 accidents brought on by cyclists utilizing telephones, in line with police — a 50% improve from the earlier five-year interval.
The most recent guidelines come amid a sequence of security laws aimed toward defending the protection of riders and pedestrians.
Final yr, authorities made it obligatory for cyclists to put on helmets. In Might, Japan’s parliament handed a invoice permitting police to effective cyclists for visitors violations.
In contrast to in lots of different nations, biking on pavements is authorized in Japan, and is a standard apply.
