Japan Releases Comprehensive Bicycle Traffic Safety Education Guidelines to Combat Rising Accidents
Japan’s Public-Private Partnership Council for Enhancing Bicycle Traffic Safety Education has unveiled new guidelines aimed at overhauling bicycle safety education across all life stages, from preschoolers to the elderly. Developed amid increasing bicycle-related accidents despite overall traffic decline, the document emphasizes skills, knowledge, and attitudes tailored to age-specific needs and accident patterns. It promotes collaboration among government, businesses, schools, and communities to foster safer cycling as a sustainable transport mode.
Background
Bicycle use in Japan is surging due to lifestyle changes, commuting needs, and its benefits for health, low emissions, and disaster resilience. However, data shows bicycle accidents rising as a proportion of total traffic incidents—from 19.7% in 2005 to 23.2% in 2023—while pedestrian-bicycle crashes have also increased. In fatal and serious injury cases involving cyclists, 75.4% involve violations like failure to check safety or ignoring signals.
The guidelines, finalized in December 2025 (Reiwa 7), were crafted by a council including the National Police Agency, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, bicycle manufacturers (e.g., Bridgestone, Yamaha), retailers (e.g., Asahi), associations, schools, and local governments like Kyoto and Kanazawa. Structured in two parts, it sets life-stage goals:
- Preschoolers: Basic riding skills like straight-line control.
- Elementary (1-3rd grade): Braking and speed adjustment.
- Elementary (4-6th grade): Left-side travel, pedestrian priority on sidewalks.
- Junior high: Full road rules mastery.
- High school/Adult: Risk prediction, communication with others.
- Elderly: Helmet use, avoiding single-vehicle crashes.
Education providers—from bike shops and share-cycle operators to employers and police—get tailored methods. A key policy shift: From April 2028 (Reiwa 8), a “blue ticket” (traffic infraction notice) system applies to violations by those 16+, simplifying enforcement without criminal records, alongside warnings and red tickets.
Future Outlook
These guidelines position cycling safety as integral to sustainable urban mobility, potentially reducing accidents through systematic education and enforcement. The council will continue as a hub for info-sharing, with a new “Bicycle Safety Education Provider Disclosure System” to highlight compliant organizations. As Japan pushes bike-friendly infrastructure, expect broader adoption, lower violation rates, and safer streets supporting eco-friendly transport goals worldwide.