Latest news with #foreigndrivers
NHK
2 days ago
- Automotive
- NHK
Japan police chief calls for more effort to prevent accidents by foreign drivers
The head of Japan's National Police Agency has instructed police headquarters across the country to step up measures to prevent traffic accidents caused by foreign drivers. National Police Agency Commissioner General Kusunoki Yoshinobu spoke at a meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday. It was attended by about 80 people, including traffic bureau chiefs of police headquarters. Traffic accidents involving foreign drivers have been increasing in Japan. Kusunoki said his agency will work to improve traffic safety education so that foreign drivers have a better understanding of traffic rules and driving etiquette in Japan. He instructed the officials to ensure firms that employ foreign drivers properly educate them about road safety through training. He also said they should work with car rental companies to inform foreign customers about traffic rules and driving etiquette. The agency chief told them to do more to crack down on unlicensed taxis drivers who use private vehicles to provide foreign tourists with fee-charging transportation services. The agency says there were 7,286 accidents involving vehicles and motorbikes driven by foreign nationals last year, up more than 1,800 from five years earlier.
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Singapore-registered Nissan GTR convoy clamped and fined in Phuket for illegal parking (VIDEO)
PHUKET, June 6 — A convoy of Singapore-registered Nissan GTRs was fined in Phuket on June 4 after images of the supercars illegally parked by the roadside sparked a backlash on social media. The four vehicles were seen lined up outside a high-end restaurant in an area clearly marked with red-and-white kerbs — an indication of a strict no-parking zone. The incident, widely shared on Thai social media platforms and messaging apps, showed the cars obstructing traffic. One Facebook video criticising the convoy attracted nearly 10,000 reactions. Phuket police responded swiftly to the public outrage, dispatching traffic officers to the scene. Officers confirmed that all the vehicles had foreign licence plates, and summoned the drivers before clamping the cars' wheels. Fines were issued on the spot. Local media reports said the authorities' prompt response won praise from residents, who welcomed the equal enforcement of traffic rules regardless of nationality. Police reminded both Thai and foreign motorists that parking along red-and-white kerbs is strictly prohibited, and violations would result in immediate fines. The journey from Singapore to Phuket spans more than 1,300km and takes upwards of 18 hours by car.
South China Morning Post
22-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
In Japan, accident-prone foreign drivers spur licensing rethink
A series of high-profile accidents involving foreign drivers has prompted Japanese authorities to re-evaluate a decades-old system that allows overseas licence holders to obtain a local driving permit with minimal testing – a move experts say is long overdue as Japan sees a surge in inbound tourism and immigration. Since 1993, foreigners holding a valid driving licence from their home countries have been allowed to convert it to a Japanese licence by answering just seven out of 10 questions on a multiple-choice exam correctly. No practical driving test or mandatory training is required under the current rules. The ease of the process has drawn renewed scrutiny in the wake of recent fatal and dangerous incidents. Tokyo Broadcasting System reported that Manabu Sakai, who heads the National Public Safety Commission, admitted in a parliamentary session in March that 'the written test is simple, even in my opinion'. Since the 1990s, foreigners holding a valid driving licence from their home countries have been allowed to convert it to a Japanese licence with minimal testing. Photo: AFP While Japan's roads are widely regarded as safe, challenges abound for newcomers – from navigating densely populated urban streets to adjusting to left-hand driving and unfamiliar signage. And when mistakes are made, the consequences can be deadly. In January, police in Yokohama arrested a Turkish man who was driving a large truck but struck an elderly woman on a bicycle at a crossing. The 73-year-old woman was killed and the driver has been charged with her death. On Sunday, a Peruvian man was caught on security cameras driving for about 10km on the wrong side of a motorway in Mie prefecture, in central Japan. As the man's car drove into the oncoming traffic, other vehicles were forced to take evasive action, causing a number of collisions. The man reported to a police station after the incident attracted extensive media coverage. He has been charged with dangerous driving and causing damage to other vehicles. Three days earlier, a Thai man was arrested in Ibaraki prefecture, in northeast Japan, on suspicion of driving a light van under the influence of alcohol. The man had reportedly crashed into a road sign and turned over.
