JAPAN: Seatbelt, elderly sign law goes into force

TOKYO (The Japan Times Kyodo), June 1, 2008: A revised law requiring back seat passengers to wear seat belts and elderly drivers to display signs while driving was to go into effect Sunday to reduce traffic fatalities. Offenders will be subject to administrative and other punishments, but the National Police Agency has told officers to be lax for the time being until the public gets used to the new regulation, police officials said. The revised Road Trucking Vehicle Law obliges people riding in the back seat to wear seat belts. Violators on expressways will be given a one-point penalty. Violators riding tour buses or taxis will cause the drivers to get punished. The law also obliges drivers 75 or older to display signs indicating an elderly person is behind the wheel. Anyone found violating the "elderly sign" rule will be given one-point penalty and fined ¥4,000. Penalties on the elderly, however, will not be imposed for one year, partly due to the public backlash the ruling coalition got following the launch in April of a new but highly unpopular health care plan for seniors. Police will refrain from cracking down on violators until the autumn nationwide road safety campaign ends, with the exception of malicious violations, the officials said, and violators on local roads and others in special circumstances, such as pregnant women, will be exempt. The revised law also allows people with heavy hearing impediments to get a driver's license on condition they install wider mirrors on their vehicles. It also allows bicycles, which were basically prohibited from riding on sidewalks under the old law, to do so if ridden by children under 13 or people aged 70 or older. People of other ages will be allowed to ride on sidewalks if there is a risk that not doing so will increase the possibility of a road accident. (C) The Japan Times