Today I will talk about the driving situation in Japan.
In Japan, public transportation such as railroads and subways have developed, but with regards to driving a car, there are also many maintained roads and parking lots.
Compared with other neighboring countries, I think it’s easy to drive in Japan because most drivers are experienced and there are not so many traffic jams.
I believe the merit of traveling by car is that you can go out without worrying about departure time and luggage, and more than anything, the variety of activities you can do is greatly expanded.
If you will live in Japan for a long time, I recommend driving yourself and experience a different scenery from the usual view of trains.
However, recently the following accidents have frequently occurred in Japan, so you should be especially careful of the following:
① A sudden start due to elderly drivers suddenly hitting the break or accelerator.
② Malicious tailgating
Malicious tailgating is a big social problem which is a type of road rage where a person drivers behind a vehicle or turns in front to hinder the other driver from moving forward.
And horns are thought to cause many troubles for non-Japanese drivers.
Although in China and other neighboring countries, horns may be used instead of greetings (although recently it seems to have considerably decreased due to penal regulations), they are rarely used in Japan.
In particular, continuing to honk the horn is the same as screaming foolishly and may cause major trouble.
This should never be done for no good reason.
Car drivers also need to be careful about traffic accidents in exchange for convenience.
I have been driving a car for more than 30 years and have never had a major accident, but I have had a rear-end collision when I was stationed in China.
The car I rear ended was a family of three, and it seemed like a new car that they had just bought, so I could feel their anger towards me.
There was no room for excuses because I was looking at my smartphone at that time because the road was slightly congested.
Therefore, it goes without saying that it is important to be sure look ahead when at the wheel, not just in Japan, but anywhere you are in the world.