Latest news with #RoadTrafficAct
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Japan Today
New bike laws in Japan take effect in 2026. What cyclists and drivers need to know
By Elizabeth Sok From commuting to work and picking up groceries to cycling Japan's scenic national routes, bikes are a popular and practical way to get around. Even if you don't own one, Japan's many bike-sharing apps make it easy to rent a ride near you. But as with any vehicle, bikes come with rules, and new bike laws in Japan are coming soon. In 2024, there were over 67,000 bicycle-related traffic accidents, with over 80% of fatal cases involving a cyclist violating traffic laws. Smartphone use while riding is also a growing issue, with accident cases increasing by over 50% in recent years. In response, Japan's National Police Agency (NPA) has introduced stricter regulations to make cycling safer for everyone — riders, drivers, and pedestrians. If you cycle in Japan (or plan to), here's what you need to know. Red Tickets vs. Blue Tickets: What's Changing? In recent years, Japan has taken a stricter stance on dangerous cycling. Since late 2024, serious offenses like riding under the influence of alcohol or using a smartphone while cycling have carried steep red-ticket (赤切符, aka-kippu) penalties — including fines of up to ¥100,000 for phone use and, for drunk cycling, up to ¥1 million or five years in prison under the Road Traffic Act. But starting April 2026, a new blue ticket system (青切符制度, **ao-kippu seido) will go into effect for less severe violations. Already used for motorists and moped riders, blue tickets allow police to issue **on-the-spot fines for 113 cycling offenses, including ignoring stop signs or riding without a light. The system targets cyclists aged 16 and older and aims to improve road safety through more consistent enforcement, without immediately resorting to criminal charges. Blue Ticket Penalties The full list of infractions and their penalties is on the National Police Agency website (Japanese only), but here are some of the most common violations to watch out for starting in April 2026. What Do I Do If I Get a Blue Ticket? If you're issued a blue ticket, you must pay the fine within eight days, usually using cash at a post office or bank. Ignoring the fine may result in a court summons, and continued non-compliance could lead to a criminal case. While you can contest a blue ticket, doing so means appearing in court, and there's no guarantee the fine will be waived. In most cases, it's easier — and safer — to pay promptly and avoid further legal trouble. How Do I Pay a Blue Ticket? To pay a blue ticket, bring the payment slip you received to a post office or bank and pay the fine in cash. You'll typically fill out a simple form and receive a receipt — be sure to keep it as proof of I Can't Ride on the Sidewalk? Click here to read more. External Link © GaijinPot
Sunday World
3 days ago
- Sunday World
Stun gun, scramblers and e-bikes seized in Coolock raids
Gardai said they had carried out a number of searches and 'proactive patrols' throughout the day in Dublin 13 Gardai show off the various bikes that were seized Gardai in Dublin have put on display the scramblers and e-bikes seized in a number of raids yesterday. As well as the two scramblers, three e-scooters and two electric bikes, the Coolock Community Response Unit also discovered a small quantity of drugs and one stun gun. In a Facebook post, gardai said the unit had carried out a number of searches and 'proactive patrols' throughout the day in Dublin 13. Gardai show off the various bikes that were seized News in 90 Seconds - May 28th 'Yesterday, we undertook a day of action in north Dublin aiming to reduce anti-social behaviour,' they posted alongside images of the bikes seized. They added that 12 fixed charge notices were also issued to motorists under the Road Traffic Act, while 'investigations are ongoing'.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
Supreme Court says police can't take back lenient sanction
The Supreme Court recently confirmed a lower court ruling that said a defendant accused of violating the Road Traffic Act cannot be punished, because he had already been given a more lenient punishment by mistake. The defendant had been stopped riding an electric unicycle — a self-balancing single wheel personal transporter — under suspicion of riding it while drunk on June 28, 2023. He refused to take a sobriety test, and was ordered by police to pay an administrative fine of 100,000 won ($72), which he paid shortly the following month. The officer in question thought the unicycle was a "personal mobility" device, defined by the Road Traffic Act as a motorized personal vehicle with maximum speed of 25 kilometers per hour and weighing under 30 kilograms. Drunk-driving of a personal mobility vehicle, or refusing to take a sobriety test while driving one, is subject to an administrative fine but not to criminal punishment. But it was later found that the electric unicycle is actually categorized as a motorcycle. As such, the rider should have been subject to indictment and possible criminal punishment. Despite the indictment by the prosecution, the district court had said police do not have the authority to revoke a punishment that has already been administered. "Even if the law was wrongfully applied due to the mistake of those in charge, the defendant's rights must be protected. The appellate court upheld the ruling, as did the country's highest court, finding no errors in the previous rulings' interpretation of the law.
SoraNews24
23-05-2025
- SoraNews24
Nagasaki police get into high speed chase with Nagasaki police
It's a police chase in the truest sense of the term. One day in February of this year, a patrol car belonging to the Nagasaki Prefectural Police was working a national highway with a speed limit of 50 kilometers per hour (31 miles per hour) when a car tore past them at speeds well beyond the limit. The patrol car quickly went in pursuit but the other vehicle showed no signs of slowing down with a speed clocked at 102 kilometers per hour (63 miles per hour). Eventually, the car managed to shake off the police but not before the officers could take note of its license plate number. Much to their surprise, the license number led them to another member of the same police force. Not only that, but surveillance camera video showed that the off-duty officer in her 20s had committed 13 violations of the Road Traffic Act, such as running a red light, on that same day. Following the full investigation, the officer in question was handed down a six-month, 10-percent pay cut by the Nagasaki Prefectural Police on 1 May and her case was submitted to the prosecutor's office to determine if the criminal charges she's facing will be pursued. The police officer told police that she was going home from visiting her parents during the holiday, and that: 'I didn't notice the patrol car chasing me. I just wanted to get home and get some sleep.' She also admitted to the charges and resigned on 1 May. ▼ Police cars are notoriously easy to miss, aren't they? Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but the 'I didn't notice the patrol car chasing me,' felt like a subtle dig at her former colleagues. After all, if she really didn't notice the sirens, lights, and person shouting over a megaphone behind her for an extended period of time, she must have been severely impaired in some way, but the fact that no accidents occurred from it would suggest either an incredible stroke of luck or that she's fibbing. Whatever the case may be, readers of the news online were mostly impressed by her driving skills and unimpressed by the police department's response to them. 'She's probably better off as a race car driver.' 'They've got to be joking with that 10 percent pay cut.' 'I don't buy it. She clearly had something to hide that day.' 'Don't the police have 3.5L V6 Crowns? What was she driving?' 'I think in cases like this she should be investigated by police from a different prefecture.' 'She got away from a police car while doing twice the limit…' 'I would never want to be pulled over by her.' 'What a waste of a good driver.' 'And she didn't get into an accident doing all that. She must have trained on Mario Kart.' It wasn't mentioned in the reports, but that ought to be more than enough simultaneous violations to warrant her license being suspended, in which case she'll have lots of time for Mario Kart from now on. So, let's all show our appreciation to the police in Japan who work tirelessly to keep us safe from other police in Japan. Source: NBC, Hachima Kiko Featured image: Pakutaso Insert image: Pakutaso ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Tokyo Reported
23-05-2025
- Tokyo Reported
Female cop in Nagasaki accused of speeding 'wanted to get home and get some sleep'
NAGASAKI (TR) – A female police officer from the Nagasaki Prefectural Police has been referred to prosecutors for driving more than 50 kilometers per hour over the speed limit earlier this year. Before the officer resigned, she told police that she simply 'wanted to get home and get some sleep,' reports Nagasaki Broadcasting (May 22). According to police, the female officer is suspected of driving her own car at 102 kilometers per hour on a national highway in Nagasaki City with a speed limit of 50 kilometers per hours on a public holiday in February. A patrol car spotted the female officer's car speeding and pursued it, but she did not stop and instead kept driving, shaking off the patrol car. It was later discovered from the car's license plate number that the driver was the female officer. In addition to speeding, the officer committed 13 violations of the Road Traffic Act that same day, including ignoring red lights. On May 1, Nagasaki Prefectural Police disciplined the officer, cutting her pay by 10 percent for six months. That same day, police referred her case to the prosecutor's office on suspicion of violating the Road Traffic Act. She admitted to the allegations. According to the Nagasaki Prefectural Police, the female officer was on her way home from her parents' home in Nagasaki Prefecture to her residence in Nagasaki City at the time. 'I didn't notice the patrol car chasing me,' she said. 'I just wanted to get home and get some sleep.' She also submitted her resignation on May 1.
