Because many of the supermarkets and retail stores do not have adequate parking facilities, delivery vehicles must be parked on streets when the delivery person carries in the order. This often adds to traffic congestion on busy thoroughfares. On narrow roads, delivery vehicles frequently block traffic entirely. Drivers of privately owned motor vehicles are the main users of Japan's road system. And 1 out of 1.5 Japanese hold a driver's license.
Japanese cities suffer from traffic congestion like many other cities in the world.
The expressways and roads in and around metropolitan areas are often congested and traffic is backed up. In 1995, there were over 760,000 traffic accidents in which over 10,000 people were killed and over 920,000 were injured. Chronic traffic congestion clogs a city street. One of the major problems car owners face is finding a place to park. Parking spaces come at a premium in the major cities in Japan.