Tokushima Prefecture is conducting the
“2024 Year-End and New Year Traffic Safety Prefectural Campaign”from Tuesday, December 10, 2024 to Friday, January 10, 2025 (1 month).

Awa’s Roads — The Spirit of Yielding and Patience

This campaign aims to widely spread and instill traffic safety awareness among residents, encourage the habit of following traffic rules and practicing proper manners, and promote initiatives by citizens themselves to improve road traffic environments — all with the goal of preventing traffic accidents.

☆★ For more details, click here ★☆
　https://www.pref.tokushima.lg.jp/ippannokata/bosai/kotsuanzen/7210880/

Let’s make wearing bicycle helmets the norm in Tokushima!

◇Trends in Bicycle Accidents within the Prefecture (2023) “Bicycle accidents are just around the corner!”
　・73.3% of all accidents occurred “near intersections”! The most common type was “head-on collisions” (57.1%)
・Most frequent accident victims: high school students (25.5%) and seniors aged 65+ (21.7%)
・Accidents were most common during “8 AM–10 AM” and “4 PM–6 PM” — commuting and dusk hours
・About 90% of accidents were due to traffic rule violations like “failing to stop,” “lack of safety checks,” or “using smartphones while riding”

◇The Importance of Bicycle Helmets “It’s too late after the accident! Wear a helmet”
　・About 60% of fatal bicycle accidents result from “head injuries”
・The fatality rate without a helmet is “twice as high” as with one
・Around 90% of bicycle fatalities involved not wearing a helmet
※In Tokushima, 16 out of 18 fatalities were without helmets (2019–2023)
This year, 3 fatal accidents occurred — 2 of which could have been prevented with helmet use.

◇As of April 2023, wearing a bicycle helmet is a legal obligation (effort-based) “Protect your life! It’s your responsibility”
To protect your own life and the lives of your loved ones, let’s make helmet-wearing the standard in Tokushima!

☆★ Tokushima Prefecture YouTube Channel “Because it saves lives — Bicycle Helmets” is here ★☆
　https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zED1rXIzPDg

[Reference] List of 272 Municipalities Nationwide Offering Bicycle Helmet Purchase Subsidies
　List of municipalities implementing bicycle helmet purchase subsidy programs [PDF: 266KB]　

◇Reflective gear is also important!
To help pedestrians and cyclists avoid traffic accidents during twilight or nighttime,
the use of reflective gear, LED lights, etc., is highly effective.

☆★ Reflectors & Lights — “The light you wear at dusk or night can save your life” ★☆
　https://www.npa.go.jp/bureau/traffic/anzen/reflector.html

Absolutely no “smartphone use while riding” or “riding under the influence”!

The Road Traffic Act was revised on November 1, 2024.
　https://www.tokusupo.net/bicycle/docs/2024110100014/