How not to cause accidents or become an accident victim

〈Driving a car〉

　Deadly accidents, hit-and-run (of a person) accidents, and accidents causing injury that were the result of driving after drinking alcohol, driving without a license, or reckless driving such as substantially exceeding the speed limit will be severely punished, with the person who caused the accident possibly being expelled from the university.

• ●Drive at a safe speed
  　When the speed doubles, the shock of a collision increases four-fold. If you’ve only just got your driver’s license, it’s fun to drive fast, but if you cause a fatal accident, you become a criminal, and will be paying compensation for the rest of your life.
  　The speed limit on campus is 20 km/h. So be sure to stick to it.
• ●Concentrate on driving
  　Using a smartphone etc. while driving or focusing on the satnav screen (i.e. driving while doing something else) is a violation of the Road Traffic Act and carries penalties of up to six months in prison or a fine of up to 100,000 yen. You will also have three penalty points added to your license and have to pay a fixed charge of 18,000 yen (in case of a regular-sized car).
  　Talking on the telephone is the biggest culprit for reducing concentration. It is extremely dangerous and a common cause of accidents. Fiddling with the satnav or audio system is also hazardous, as it stops you focusing on the road ahead, so only do it when the vehicle isn’t moving.
• ●Do not drink and drive
  　Absolutely do not drive even if you’ve only had one sip of alcohol.
  　Even in tiny quantities, alcohol reduces reaction times. And if you cause an accident after drinking, you will be subject to severe penalties under the law, and your insurance will not pay out.

〈Riding a scooter〉

• ●People also die in scooter accidents.
  　Limit your speed, and always wear a motorcycle helmet. If you come off at high speed, you will lose your life. There has also been a student who collided with and killed a pedestrian.
• ●Keep an eye of steel sheets and lane markings on the roads
  　Wet steel sheets and white lane markings result in skidding. And if you come off, it’ll be in front of a car.
• ●For international students
  　To ride a motorbike in Japan, a driver’s license is required.

〈Riding a bicycle〉

• ●Wear a helmet to protect yourself
  　With the enforcement of the revised Road Traffic Act on April 1, 2023, it became mandatory for bicycle riders to wear helmets. The fatality rate in accidents with unhelmeted riders is more than double that of those wearing helmets. Wear a helmet to protect your life.
  Poor bicycle maintenance may cause accidents. Be sure to inspect and maintain your bicycle before riding it.
  　Riding with no light at night is a violation of the Road Traffic Act. It makes you almost invisible to car drivers, so is incredibly dangerous. Keep your front and rear lights on both night and day so that drivers quickly notice that you are there. And at night, another effective safe preservation strategy is to wear brightly colored clothing so that you stand out. Riding against the traffic with no light on is suicidal.
  　Riding under the influence of alcohol, with an umbrella, on the right side of the road, with a passenger, or while using a smartphone or earphone are all prohibited. Two locks are effective to prevent theft.
  　Kanazawa City has also passed a local ordinance requiring cyclists to take out insurance（See Bicycle Liability Insurance）.

〈Traffic rules for bicycles〉

　The road in front of Kanazawa University (prefectural Kanazawa-Inami route) is particularly busy with bicycles in Kanazawa City. And there are also lots of accidents involving bicycles.
　A bicycle is kind of vehicle (light vehicle). Bicycles should therefore be ridden on the left side of the road, so please ride on the road in the same direction as the cars.
　As an exception, you can ride slowly on sidewalks on which bicycles are permitted, though you must give priority to pedestrians. However, bicycles cruising down slopes at high speed are extremely hazardous to pedestrians, and there have been cases of collisions with pedestrians that have resulted in the cyclist having to pay a huge amount of damages. So when descending a slope, make sure to reduce your speed sufficiently and give priority to pedestrians.

　Furthermore, in recent years “bicycle lanes” have been established in built up areas within Kanazawa City and on the roads around Kanazawa University. These lanes are officially designated for bicycles, so you should use them when you are cycling unless it is impossible to do so.
　Cyclists who have penalized for dangerous and unlawful behavior must undergo safety training. So make sure you understand the rules and practice safe riding.

　Kanazawa University offers Bicycle Safety Course for all students in an on-demand format. All students, including even those who do not ride bicycles, must take this course.

<How to take the course>Take Bicycle Safety Course 1 or 2

• ●Acanthus portal > LMS course (web class) > Bicycle Safety Course (all students) / Bicycle Safety Course

[For international students version] Bicycle Safety Course
https://lms-wc.el.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/webclass/login.php?id=23f5d9aa411c827228d4419398d78a3f&auth_mode=SHIB

〈As a pedestrian〉

• ●Follow traffic rules and wear brightly colored clothing at night
  Abide by traffic rules so that you don’t become an accident victim. And you can protect yourself at night by wearing bright colors so that you stand out.