# Measures Regarding the Safety of Land Transport

## Chapter 1 Measures Regarding Road Transport Safety

1 Improvement of Road Traffic Environment

From the point of view of forming a traffic society that corresponds to the changes of an aging social population, protects children from accidents, and where the elderly can go outside both safely and with ease, efforts are being made to strengthen the people-prioritized improvement of road transport environment with guaranteed safe and secure pedestrian spaces such as the sidewalks in school zones, residential roads, and central roads in urban areas.

Also, in regard to the improvement of road transport environment, systematic improvement is in progress for a safe road transport network where functions are properly shared from main high standard highways to district roads. In addition to controlling the inflow of passing traffic to residential roads, traffic safety facilities of sidewalks are improved in roads where it is especially necessary to ensure traffic safety. Based on this and the implementation of detailed traffic prevention measures that for instance promote effective traffic regulations, a safe road transport environment is created where car speeds are controlled and there is separation away from the heterogeneous traffic of vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians are separated. Furthermore, with regard to the improvement of an environment of bicycle use, a social experiment is in effect for introducing "community cycle".

(1) Improvement of people-first walking spaces offering safety and security (promotion of sidewalk improvement for school routes)

(2) Encouragement of road network improvement and use of roads with high standards

(3) Effective implementation of intensive traffic accident countermeasures in sections where the accident rate is high

(4) Promotion of effective traffic regulations

(5) Improvement of a residential road transport environment in collaboration with the local community

(6) Promotion of accident prevention policies in national expressways

(7) Application of high-speed road traffic system (ITS)

(8) Improvement of a safe and secure bicycle use environment

(9) Improvement of a smooth, comfortable and safe road transport environment

(10) Promotion of traffic demand management

(11) Promotion of comprehensive parking measures

(12) Improvement of a road transport environment prepared for disaster

(13) Improvement of a road transport environment that contributes to traffic safety

## 2 Dissemination and Reinforcement of Traffic Safety Messages

Traffic safety education policies are applied (National Public Safety Commission), and a phrasal and moreover systematic traffic safety education is put into place that caters to the psychosomatic developmental stage and lifestyle of everyone from children to adults. In addition to raising the traffic safety awareness of the elderly themselves, the characteristics of elderly people must be known to other generation, so that the elderly people are protected, and education for growing awareness of consideration for the elderly is strengthened. Furthermore, guidance is strengthening in relation to the safe use of bicycles for elementary, junior high and high school students who use bicycles frequently; and this becomes a foundation for the education of future drivers.