### Section 14. Traffic Police Activities on Expressways

## (1) Current Status of Expressway Networks

The number of expressways routes (national expressways and designated motorways) is increasing every year and the total extension is also increasing to over 10,000 kilometers.

In the future, exact traffic management corresponding to various situations such as safety measures in the sections where the lanes are not divided by a median showing the direction of travel and the Smart Interchange system $ ^{1} $ is expected.

The number of fatalities on the expressway in 2008 is 193, a decline for five consecutive years since 2004. The number of traffic accidents and the number of the injured have also declined continuously since last year.

Note 1: Interchanges at service areas, parking areas, and bus stops on expressways with newly built ETC dedicated gates to stop at to be able to exit to or enter from nearby roads.

Table 3-11 Trends in the Number of Routes and Total Extension of Expressways (2004-2008) (2004-2008)

Year	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Category	Expressways Routes (routes)	Total Extension (km)	Expressways Routes (routes)	Total Extension (km)	Expressways Routes (routes)	Total Extension (km)	Expressways Routes (routes)	Total Extension (km)	Expressways Routes (routes)	Total Extension (km)
Expressways Routes	138	9,373.9	142	9,533.4	146	9,749.7	149	9,930.6	150	10,109.7
National Expressways	48	7,341.1	48	7,367.5	49	7,421.6	50	7,488.2	50	7,621.3
Designated Motorways	90	2,032.8	94	2,165.9	97	2,328.1	99	2,442.4	100	2,488.4

Table 3-12 Trends in the Number of Expressway Accidents and Resulting Fatalities (1999 -2008) (1999-2008)

Year	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Category
Number of Accident (cases)	12,986	14,325	14,726	14,083	13,992	13,797	13,775	13,803	12,674	10,965
Fatalities(persons)	323	367	389	338	351	329	285	262	244	193
Injuries ( persons )	21,079	23,181	23,888	22,875	22,661	22,119	21,931	22,007	21,005	18,123

(2) Securing Safety and Smoothness of Traffic on Expressways

## 1 ) Traffic Accident Prevention Measures for Larger-sized Trucks

The police are implementing traffic regulations (first lane classification transit regulations) which stipulates that all large-sized trucks (large-sized commercial vehicles, special medium-sized commercial vehicles, and special large-sized vehicles) must use the farthest-left-side lane in nine routes, including the Tomei Expressway (as of the end of March 2008).

## 2 ) Promoting Measures against Traveling the Wrong Direction

The police are taking into consideration factors such as road construction, weather conditions, traffic volume, and the state of traffic accident occurrences to ensure the propriety of traffic regulations on expressways and review them adequately if and when necessary.

In recent years, with the frequency of accidents involving elderly drivers traveling in the wrong direction, the police have been promoting enlightening campaigns with the cooperation of concerned organizations and entities as well as working with road administrators in improving the size of road signs and installment of on-road indicators, as well as wrong-direction preventing devices $ ^{1} $ .

Note 1: Devices at the entrances and exits at expressway services areas and other locations, which detect vehicles driving in the wrong direction and alert the drivers using sirens and electronic signs.

## 3 ) Traffic Guidance and Regulation

The police are enforcing traffic regulations focused on extreme and dangerous driving such as excessive speeding, drunk driving, tailgating, and road or lane infringement. In addition, the police are implementing proper guidance and regulation.

Diagram 3-19 Situation of Traffic Violation Crackdowns on Expressways (2008)

Note: Excluding notification of the number of basic points for administrative punishment against driving without wearing seatbelts.