Over 50% of car drivers in Japan do not stop for pedestrians at crosswalks, according to a survey by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF). Why do you think that is?

everyone is in a hurry

Probably 100% true if not higher.

But in the flip side, 50% of pedestrians cross wherever they want and probably 90% of cyclist don't stop at intersections, stop signs red crossing lights, ride against traffic even in bike lanes and a good 50% if pedestrians ignore red crossing lights especially when the traffic signal is green for cars but red for them!

Near my house on a 3 lane per direction road the major intersection has a turning lane, the crossing light is 4 ways and turns red before the turn signal for cars turns green but few cars ever get through on the signal because pedestrians just keep crossing and I don't mean finishing crossing because they started on the green crossing light they just fully ignore the red crossing light and cross knowing the only cars are those trying to turn!

Not making any excuses, car and truck drivers need to always stop at pedestrian crossings if someone is near or even looks like they may be going cross, better safe than sorry!

But pedestrians and cyclist also need to be taught the rules and follow them.

PS. People need to stop parking or stopping, in front of crosswalks, especially taxis and delivery truck!

The number of times I have had to make a sudden stop because I could not see people crossing because of a vehicle stopped in front of a crosswalk is insane, when ever I am passing a vehicle in front of a crosswalk I slow to a crawl because I never know what or who may walk out from the blind spot the vehicle has created!

A good example of how misleading statistics can be. That 50% must differ according to the area. Where we live in Okinawa, people will stop even if it's not a pedestrian crossing. Near the bases, probably not.

The problem could be solved by a bit of planning. Road design in Japan is bad.

I don't think that's true, at all. Some probably don't. But when I'm about out walking or riding my bike, drivers always stop. Gunma, Tochigi, Tokyo, Kanagawa and Hokkaido.

I once stopped at a crossing for an old lady in a small village in Hokkaido and the Ossan behind me in a kei car went around me and crossed over the crossing in front of the old lady. Yet he seemed in no hurry when I eventually caught up with him again.

It's dangerous behaviour and it's the law to stop and everyone learns this. Japanese are not necessarily law-abiding. It depends on what others do, or what they are perceived or believed to do.

Only 50%? I would have thought it was much higher.

One. Police are never around to enforce these laws.

Two. Japanese aversion to sticking out. Which is somewhat what happens when you stop in the middle of the road away from a sign or signal.

Three. There are a lot of impatient and selfish people on the roads and they know they can get away with it.

Four. Pedestrians themselves tend to be a bit more docile here than in other countries. Cars flying through a crosswalk while I'm trying to cross the road in the US get a finger and/or a profanity laden shout from me.

One. Police are never around to enforce these laws.

Sometimes they are. There's a crosswalk near my place that the police often patrol. Judging my the number of drivers and motorcyclists they pull over, the fines alone could probably fund the local police station.

SDCAToday  07:45 am JST

everyone is in a hurry

This! Especially in cities. While it's highly unlikely to see road rage among the Japanese, you will see drivers maneuver aggressively and not give way to pedestrians and two-wheeled road users, especially cyclists. I've cycled in Japan and I can't tell you how much close calls I've got. In my experience, the most dangerous ones and most likely to not give way are the seniors and truck drivers.

When I moved back to California several years ago I made an illegal u-turn on a green light that was only permitted with a green arrow. I was immediately pulled over and warned, not fined. That of course made me more alert and careful. In Japan I rarely see enforcement of any laws until there is an accident. Everyone just breaks the rules with the expectation that the risk of an accident is low. No enforcement no compliance.

In my experience here in Aichi it is much less than 50%. More like 5-10%. Interestingly though I have found that the bigger the car is the more likely they are to stop. Big trucks almost almost always stop.

Lazy police and selfish motorists.

Well over 50% in my experience.

The cops don't care. To add my one single data point, there's a pedestrian crossing right outside the local koban where cars that stop for waiting pedestrians are very much the exception rather than the norm.

Isn't it based on right of way? There'd be way more accidents if they literally didn't stop if they didn't have right of way 50% of the time.

The traffic light phasing at junctions is terrible... simply stop all traffic at red lights... allow the pedestrians to cross then set one direction off again. As for why the drivers don't stop at zebra crossings... do they get taught to stop when learning to drive? Or doesn't the pedestrian have right of way?

From the Road Traffic Act:

Article 38(1)When approaching a pedestrian crossing or a bicycle crossing lane (hereinafter referred to in this Article as a "pedestrian or bicycle crossing"), a vehicle or streetcar must proceed at a speed that will enable it to stop immediately in front of the pedestrian or bicycle crossing (or immediately in front of any stop line indicated by road signs or markings; the same applies hereinafter in this paragraph), unless there are clearly no pedestrians or bicycles (hereinafter referred to in this Article as a "pedestrian or cyclist") ahead of the vehicle or streetcar. In such a case, if a pedestrian or cyclist is crossing or about to cross the pedestrian or bicycle crossing ahead of the vehicle or streetcar, the vehicle or streetcar must come to a stop immediately in front of the pedestrian or bicycle crossing and must not prevent that pedestrian or cyclist from proceeding.

https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/2962/en

Seems another misleading question.

Where's the survey?

I've always found it a bit of a mixed bag. The crossing outside my office, nobody except bus drivers and taxi drivers stop. Around my home neighborhood, oddly there is one crossing that people never stop at, but other places and intersections even without crossings marked people will stop.

And I’d say 90% of pedestrians don’t look both ways before crossing the street. It should be law they everyone must stop on the sidewalk before stepping out into the road. Light or no light. And bicycles that ride in the sidewalk and hit you should be captured and arrested. Bicycles dart across crossWALKS with little or no concern for anyone around them.

As a driver more often than a pedestrian, I'm annoyed whenever I see pedestrians who come to a crosswalk waive on cars waiting for them and tell them to go ahead. I'm sure they mean well, but they can't do that. By law the pedestrian has 100% right of way at a marked crosswalk and the driver will still be ticketed if they go ahead of the pedestrian even with the pedestrian's consent. It's also dangerous because one pedestrian may cede the right of way to the vehicle but other pedestrians around them will continue to cross as they're supposed to.

It’s the law, but don’t assume drivers will stop. Same with train crossings. It’s rare in my area of Tokyo but some drivers do a “rolling stop”. Without a nearby crosswalk pedestrians cross streets parallel to the RR at grade crossings.

l live in the countryside....drivers dont stop.

I do...and I often get a little bow of thanks from young kids.

Sweet.

But ...just stop....cars and bodies dont mix well.

How about an education advert on TV ?

The other day I was trying to cross a main road, without a crossing when a 20-ton truck stopped and allowed me to cross.

> > I don't think that's true, at all. Some probably don't. But when I'm about out walking or riding my bike, drivers always stop. Gunma, Tochigi, Tokyo, Kanagawa and Hokkaido.

I have ridden almost 175,000 miles on my bikes in Japan and if someone stops I am genuinely surprised.

First I have to stay thanks to the Japanese driver, I have been traveling along the Tohoku tollway recently and all but one or two will return to the left lane after over taking. Also no rushing when merging into a single lane while the other lane is under maintenance. Great road users. With Pedestrian crossing I have notice very early on living in Japan that the Japanese driver is not keen on stopping for Pedestrians at crossing. But they do allow the Pedestrian at lights to cross without the pressure of ending forward in an attempt to speed the Pedestrian up. Over all Japanese road users are very good.

Another problem is the state of the road markings which are extremely worn in some areas of missing.

Lazy police or no funds, both?

An incredibly deep question. You can tell a lot about peoples moral make-up from how they treat strangers. It’s one of those win-win feelings too when you stop for someone and they give you a bow or a gesture of thanks. Have always wondered about those that don’t take the opportunity to receive this free gift. It’s a bit sad, and I am sure those that don’t know this simple joy are a bit sad too.

Love those little moments to regain your humanity in what can be a cold world. In some countries it’s seen as a sign of weakness to let anyone in! No thanks to that! Japan is doing ok I reckon.

A simple measure, but if you put your hand in the air at the roadside the cars are much more likely to stop and let you cross.

Another riskier method is to take a step or two onto the crossing and make it look like you aren't aware of the approaching car, even though you really are. That wakes them up.

A third method is to keep a small stone in your pocket and wing it at the passing car that almost runs over your toes.

A third method is to keep a small stone in your pocket and wing it at the passing car that almost runs over your toes.

And if anything comes of that, and provided the vehicle has no dash cams, you look all innocent, shrug and say, "Prove it. What stone?"

(I don't recommend that option personally, although I have been tempted to do it with cars that give me and my bicycle the old left hook. Just going with it)

I gather that drivers don't have to stop for a green pedestrian light if there are no pedestrians crossing the road. Poorly thought-out laws just encourage carelessness.