「比較的狭い道路なので歩行者や自転車の飛び出しが想定できる」生活道路の法定速度引き下げがスタート 時速60キロから30キロに...どんな道路が対象？ ルールのポイントをおさらい

From September 1st, the legal speed limit for vehicles on so-called "residential roads" has changed from the previous 60 km/h to 30 km/h. This is the first revision of the legal speed limit in 66 years. What are the risks lurking on roads that are so integral to our daily lives? Here's dashcam footage from a residential area. Suddenly, a child runs out into the road. On another road, there's a near-miss with a bicycle. All of these were filmed on residential roads. Significant revision of legal speed limit on residential roads from September 1st Residential roads are narrow roads less than 5.5 meters wide, without center lines or median strips, primarily used for the daily lives of local residents. The legal speed limit on these residential roads has been significantly revised from September 1st. Previously, the legal speed limit on residential roads was 60 km/h, except where speed limits were specified by road signs. This has now been halved to 30 km/h. The reduction in the legal speed limit is the first in 66 years! On September 1st, police officers distributed leaflets to drivers on residential streets in Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City, explaining the change in the legal speed limit on these streets. This is the first reduction in the legal speed limit in 66 years. The aim behind this is to reduce fatal accidents. According to National Police Agency data, the pedestrian fatality rate is less than 1% when the vehicle speed is 30 km/h or less. However, at 60 km/h, the pedestrian fatality rate jumps to 17.4%. Because the roads are narrow, drivers should drive slowly. The reduction is a top priority for safety. Shizuoka Central Police Station, Traffic Division 1 Chief, Chitoshi Ai "Residential streets are relatively narrow, so we anticipate pedestrians and cyclists suddenly appearing. It's not simply a matter of adhering to the maximum speed limit; we ask that drivers drive at an appropriate speed according to the road conditions, weather, etc." Key points of the rules that changed from September 1st Here are the key points of the rules that changed from September 1st. First, let's define the scope of "residential roads." This includes not only residential areas but also mountain roads and farm roads. Driving at the previous legal speed limit of 60 km/h will now be considered 30 km/h over the limit, potentially resulting in immediate license suspension. However, on roads with existing signs and markings, drivers must follow those instructions as before. The reduction in the legal speed limit on residential roads is related to the number of fatal traffic accidents. Statistics show that by 2025, 63.6% of fatal traffic accidents nationwide involved vehicles exceeding 30 km/h in speed. While speed is important on all roads, it's especially crucial on residential roads where the risk of sudden pedestrian crossings is high. For more details, see NEWS DIG! ↓ https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/...