## Title 1 Measures Regarding the Safety of Land Transport

## Chapter 1 Measures Regarding Road Transportation 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.

In addition, in order to contribute to the promotion of road safety by aiming at the facilitation of road traffic, seeking to improve the road usage methods, in addition to comprehensively promoting measures traffic demand management (TDM) that improves transportation efficiency by equalizing temporal and spatial traffic volume, using state-of-the-art IT, constructing an integral system of cars, people and roads, while delivering improved safety, efficiency and comfort of transportation, the development and dissemination of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) that aims to contribute to environmental conservation through facilitation of transportation, such as the reduction of congestion, is promoted.

(1) Improvement of people-first pedestrian spaces offering safety and security

(2) Promotion of traffic safety measures on highways

(3) Promotion of projects for the development of traffic safety facilities

(4) Promotion of effective traffic regulations

(5) Comprehensive development of bicycle use environment

(6) Application of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)

(7) Promoting Transportation Demand Management (TDM)

(8) Improvement of road transport environment preparation for disaster

(9) Promotion of comprehensive parking measures

(10) Enhancement of road traffic information

(11) Improvement of road traffic environment contributing to road safety

## 2 Dissemination and Reinforcement of Traffic Safety

Traffic safety education policies (National Public Safety Commission Notification No. 15, 1998) are applied, and a gradual and moreover systematic traffic safety education is put into place that caters to the psychosomatic developmental stage and life stage of everyone from children to adults. In the advancement of aging society, 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.

(1) Promotion of a gradual and systematic road safety education

(2) Promotion of effective road safety education

(3) Promotion of awareness-raising activities concerning traffic safety

(4) Promotion of voluntary activities of private organizations concerning traffic safety

(5) Promotion of community participation and cooperation

## 3 Ensuring Safe Driving

In order to ensure safe driving, it is necessary to improve the ability and quality of drivers. Therefore, efforts are made to enhance driver education not only for drivers but also for persons who are seeking to acquire a driver's license. In particular, attention is being focused on augmenting education for elderly drivers, whose number is expected to increase greatly in the future. Necessary improvement will be made for the driver's license system that takes into consideration the recent traffic conditions.

In addition, future changes in the vehicle transport industry must be focused on and emphasis is placed on the responsibility and role of businesses to promote the voluntary safe driving management