Japan law to punish cyclists for phone use, riding drunk takes effect

Cyclists cross Rainbow Bridge during a bicycle event in Tokyo's bayside area on Nov 23, 2022. (Photo: Kyodo)
Cyclists cross Rainbow Bridge during a bicycle event in Tokyo's bayside area on Nov 23, 2022. (Photo: Kyodo)

TOKYO: A revised Japanese traffic law took effect on Friday, introducing prison terms and fines for cyclists who use their mobile phones or ride while under the influence of alcohol.

People found to have used their mobile phones while cycling face imprisonment of up to six months or fines of 100,000 yen (22,000 baht), with prison terms of up to one year or fines of 300,000 yen if they have caused accidents.

Previously, mobile phone use while cycling was punished according to rules set by local public safety commissions, with offenders facing fines of up to 50,000 yen.

The revised Road Traffic Act also strengthened penalties for people who cycle under the influence of alcohol. Riders found with more than 0.15 milligramme of alcohol per litre of breath face prison terms of up to three years or fines of 500,000 yen.

Cyclists under the influence of alcohol already faced prison terms of up to five years or fines of 1 million yen if they were deemed unable to ride safely irrespective of their alcohol levels.

There were 295 accidents caused by cyclists using mobile phones between 2013 and 2017, but the number of cases increased by more than 50% to 454 in the following five-year period, the National Police Agency said.

An agency official said the rise could be attributable to not only the prevalence of smartphones but the growing variety of video and game content available on them.

Vocabulary

  • attributable to: caused by..., the reason something happens .... -
  • deemed: considered - เห็นว่า ถือว่า
  • drunk: having had too much alcohol to drink, i.e., drunk or intoxicated - มึนเมา
  • fine: an amount of money that you have to pay because you have broken the law - ค่าปรับ
  • imprisonment: the punishment of being put in prison - การจำคุก
  • irrespective of (prep): without considering something or being influenced by it - โดยไม่คำนึงถึง
  • offender: a person who is guilty of a crime - ผู้กระทำความผิด
  • penalty: a punishment, or the usual punishment, for doing something that is against a law - โทษ
  • prevalence: how often something happens or how common it is; predominance, pervasiveness - ความแพร่หลาย, ความดื่นดาษ, prevalence of disease ความชุกของโรค
  • previously: before -
  • prison term: a length of time someone is required to stay in prison - ระยะเวลาที่จำคุก
  • punish: to make somebody suffer because they have broken the law or done something wrong - ทำโทษ
  • revise: to change, improve, or make additions to something - แก้ไข
  • under the influence (exp): being affected by alcohol, a drug, etc. - อยู่ในสภาพมึน
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