Article 71Rules to Be Observed by Drivers
第七十一条（運転者の遵守事項）
The driver of a vehicle or streetcar must observe the following rules:
to have mudflaps on the vehicle or streetcar, drive at a reduced speed, or take other measures so as not to cause a nuisance to others by scattering mud, dirty water, and other materials when driving through mud or puddles;
ぬかるみ又は水たまりを通行するときは、泥よけ器を付け、又は徐行する等して、泥土、汚水等を飛散させて他人に迷惑を及ぼすことがないようにすること。
to come to a stop or drive at reduced speed so as not to obstruct the progress of a vehicle for persons with physical disabilities, a blind person using a Cabinet-Order-prescribed cane or guide dog referred to in Article 14, paragraph (1), a deaf person or a person with a Cabinet-Order-prescribed degree of physical disability referred to in Article 14, paragraph (2), either of whom is walking with a Cabinet-Order-prescribed cane as referred to in that paragraph, or so as not to obstruct the progress of an elementary schooler or child not yet of school age who is walking without a custodian;
to come to a stop or drive at reduced speed so as not to prevent an elderly pedestrian, a pedestrian with a physical disability, or a pedestrian with difficulty using the road from proceeding, beyond as set forth in the preceding item;
to drive at a reduced speed and confirm that it is safe before overtaking a school bus (meaning a motor vehicle as prescribed by Cabinet Order which is exclusively used to transport persons such as elementary schoolers and children not yet of school age to places such as elementary schools and preschools) that has stopped pursuant to Cabinet Order to load or unload persons such as elementary schoolers and children not yet of school age;
to drive at a reduced speed when going past the edge of a safety zone on the left side of a road in which there is a pedestrian;
to take the necessary measures to prevent persons riding in the vehicle or streetcar from falling from it and to prevent loaded objects from falling or scattering from it, such as closing the doors of the vehicle or streetcar and loading cargo properly onto the vehicle or streetcar;
乗降口のドアを閉じ、貨物の積載を確実に行う等当該車両等に乗車している者の転落又は積載している物の転落若しくは飛散を防ぐため必要な措置を講ずること。
to take the necessary measures to prevent a road hazard in the event that an object loaded onto the vehicle or streetcar has fallen or been scattered from it, such as removing the fallen or scattered object promptly;
to not open one of the vehicle's or streetcar's doors or get out of the vehicle or streetcar without confirming the safety of doing so, and to take the necessary measures to prevent others riding in the vehicle or streetcar from causing a traffic hazard by unsafely opening the doors or getting out of the vehicle;
安全を確認しないで、ドアを開き、又は車両等から降りないようにし、及びその車両等に乗車している他の者がこれらの行為により交通の危険を生じさせないようにするため必要な措置を講ずること。
to take the necessary measures to keep the vehicle or streetcar stopped when leaving the vicinity of a vehicle or streetcar, such as turning off the motor or engine and fully engaging the brakes;
車両等を離れるときは、その原動機を止め、完全にブレーキをかける等当該車両等が停止の状態を保つため必要な措置を講ずること。
to take the necessary measures when leaving the vicinity of a motor vehicle or motorized bicycle, in keeping with the vehicle's equipment, to prevent the vehicle from being driven or ridden by someone without permission to do so;
to not suddenly put the motor vehicle or motorized bicycle in motion, suddenly increase its speed, or increase its engine speed without transferring the power of the engine to its wheels in a manner that makes a noise causing an extreme nuisance to others, without a legitimate reason for doing so;
when driving a motor vehicle, if a person prescribed in Article 71-5, paragraphs (1) through (4) or Article 71-6, paragraphs (1) through (3), or a person who has been issued a provisional driver's license as prescribed in Article 84, paragraph (2), is driving a marked motor vehicle (meaning a semi-mid-sized motor vehicle bearing a mark as prescribed in Article 71-5, paragraph (1), Article 71-6, paragraph (1) or Article 87, paragraph (3), or a standard motor vehicle bearing a mark as prescribed in Article 71-5, paragraphs (2) through (4), Article 71-6, paragraph (2) or (3), or Article 87, paragraph (3); the same applies hereinafter in this item), then, unless circumstances compel the driver to do so in order to prevent a hazard, to neither squeeze toward the side of that moving marked motor vehicle nor change course if doing so would mean that a marked motor vehicle approaching from behind on the same course that the motor vehicle would be on after changing course could not maintain the necessary distance as prescribed in Article 26 between itself and that motor vehicle;
自動車を運転する場合において、第七十一条の五第一項から第四項まで若しくは第七十一条の六第一項から第三項までに規定する者又は第八十四条第二項に規定する仮運転免許を受けた者が表示自動車（第七十一条の五第一項、第七十一条の六第一項若しくは第八十七条第三項に規定する標識を付けた準中型自動車又は第七十一条の五第二項から第四項まで、第七十一条の六第二項若しくは第三項若しくは第八十七条第三項に規定する標識を付けた普通自動車をいう。以下この号において同じ。）を運転しているときは、危険防止のためやむを得ない場合を除き、進行している当該表示自動車の側方に幅寄せをし、又は当該自動車が進路を変更した場合にその変更した後の進路と同一の進路を後方から進行してくる表示自動車が当該自動車との間に第二十六条に規定する必要な距離を保つことができないこととなるときは進路を変更しないこと。
when driving a motor vehicle, motorized bicycle or bicycle (hereinafter referred to in this item as a "motor vehicle, etc."), except when that motor vehicle, etc. is at a stop, to neither use a cellular telephone, car phone, or other wireless telephone (but only one that cannot be used to transmit or receive communications unless all or part of it is held in the hand; referred to as a "wireless telephone" in Article 118, paragraph (1), item (iv)) to make telephone calls (other than essential emergency calls to aid injured or sick persons or to maintain public safety while that motor vehicle, etc. is in motion; the same applies in that item) nor focus attention on an image displayed on an image display device (other than one as prescribed in Article 41, paragraph (1), item (xvi) or (xvii) or Article 44, item (xi) of the Road Transport Vehicle Act; the same applies in Article 118, paragraph (1), item (iv)) installed in or carried into that motor vehicle, etc.;
自動車、原動機付自転車又は自転車（以下この号において「自動車等」という。）を運転する場合においては、当該自動車等が停止しているときを除き、携帯電話用装置、自動車電話用装置その他の無線通話装置（その全部又は一部を手で保持しなければ送信及び受信のいずれをも行うことができないものに限る。第百十八条第一項第四号において「無線通話装置」という。）を通話（傷病者の救護又は公共の安全の維持のため当該自動車等の走行中に緊急やむを得ずに行うものを除く。同号において同じ。）のために使用し、又は当該自動車等に取り付けられ若しくは持ち込まれた画像表示用装置（道路運送車両法第四十一条第一項第十六号若しくは第十七号又は第四十四条第十一号に規定する装置であるものを除く。第百十八条第一項第四号において同じ。）に表示された画像を注視しないこと。
rules that a public safety commission establishes in consideration of road or traffic conditions, having found it to be necessary to do so in order to prevent road hazards or otherwise ensure traffic safety, beyond as set forth in the preceding items.
Article 71-2Rules to Be Observed by Drivers of Motor Vehicles and Motorized Bicycles
第七十一条の二（自動車等の運転者の遵守事項）
It is prohibited for the driver of a motor vehicle or motorized bicycle (other than a machine that Cabinet Office Order prescribes; the same applies hereinafter in this Article) to drive the motor vehicle or ride the motorized bicycle if it is not equipped with a muffler as prescribed in Article 41, paragraph (1), item (xi) or Article 44, item (viii) of the Road Transport Vehicle Act (this includes a motor vehicle or motorized bicycle equipped with a muffler that has been cut or to which another modification or the like that seriously hinders the function of a muffler and that Cabinet Office Order prescribes has been made).
Article 71-3Rules to Be Observed by Drivers of Standard Motor Vehicles and Other Motor Vehicles
第七十一条の三（普通自動車等の運転者の遵守事項）
The driver of a motor vehicle (other than a standard or large motorcycle; the same applies hereinafter in this Article) must not drive without fastening the seatbelt that is required to be installed in the motor vehicle pursuant to Chapter III of the Act on Vehicles for Road Transportation and pursuant to orders based upon that Act (hereinafter referred to as a "seatbelt"); provided, however, that this does not apply if the driver's restraint by a seatbelt is not appropriate in light of the medical treatment that the driver is receiving for an illness, if the driver in question is the driver of an emergency motor vehicle and is driving that emergency motor vehicle, or if there are any other compelling circumstances that Cabinet Order prescribes.
The driver of a motor vehicle must not carry a person unrestrained by a seatbelt on equipment, other than the driver's seat, that is meant to carry a person (but only in a motor vehicle in which such equipment must be equipped with seatbelts; the same applies hereinafter in this paragraph) as a passenger in the motor vehicle; provided, however, that this does not apply if the driver is carrying a child not yet of school age (other than one that is of sufficient height when seated for a seatbelt to be fastened appropriately; the same applies hereinafter in this Article) on such equipment, if the driver is carrying a person whose restraint by a seatbelt is not appropriate in light of the medical treatment that the person is receiving for an illness on such equipment, or if there are any other compelling circumstances that Cabinet Order prescribes.
The driver of a motor vehicle must not carry a child not yet of school age unrestrained by child restraints (meaning restraints fixed to a seat and used to replace the functions of a seatbelt when a child not yet of school age is on board, which comply with Chapter III of the Act on Vehicles for Road Transportation and orders given under that Chapter and which are configured for the size of a child not yet of school age; the same applies hereinafter in this paragraph) as a passenger in the motor vehicle; provided, however, that this does not apply if the driver is carrying a child not yet of school age whose restraint by child restraints is not appropriate in light of the medical treatment that the child is receiving for an illness or if there are any other compelling circumstances that Cabinet Order prescribes.
Article 71-4Rules to Be Observed by Riders of Large Two-Wheeled Vehicles and Other Vehicles
第七十一条の四（大型自動二輪車等の運転者の遵守事項）
A person riding a standard or large motorcycle must not ride that vehicle without wearing a motorcycle helmet, and must not carry a passenger who is not wearing a motorcycle helmet.
A person riding a general motorized bicycle must not ride that vehicle without wearing a motorcycle helmet.
The driver of a specified small motorized bicycle must endeavor to wear a motorcycle helmet.
特定小型原動機付自転車の運転者は、乗車用ヘルメットをかぶるよう努めなければならない。
A person holding a large motorcycle license as referred to in Article 84, paragraph (3) who is under 20 years of age or who has not held that license for at least three years in total (not counting any period during which it was suspended) (other than a person currently holding a standard motorcycle license as referred to in that paragraph who has held that license for at least three years in total (not counting any period during which the person's license was suspended) and other persons that Cabinet Order prescribes) must not carry a passenger while driving a standard or large motorcycle (other than one with a sidecar; the same applies hereinafter in this Article) on a national expressway or limited highway.
第八十四条第三項の大型自動二輪車免許を受けた者で、二十歳に満たないもの又は当該大型自動二輪車免許を受けていた期間（当該免許の効力が停止されていた期間を除く。）が通算して三年に達しないもの（同項の普通自動二輪車免許を現に受けており、かつ、当該普通自動二輪車免許を受けていた期間（当該免許の効力が停止されていた期間を除く。）が通算して三年以上である者その他の者で政令で定めるものを除く。）は、高速自動車国道及び自動車専用道路においては、運転者以外の者を乗車させて大型自動二輪車（側車付きのものを除く。以下この条において同じ。）又は普通自動二輪車（側車付きのものを除く。以下この条において同じ。）を運転してはならない。
A person holding a standard motorcycle license as referred to in Article 84, paragraph (3) (other than a person also holding a large motorcycle license as referred to in that paragraph) who is under 20 years of age or who has not held that license for at least three years in total (not counting any period during which the person's license was suspended) (other than a person who has held a standard motorcycle license at some point within the six months before the day on which the person came to hold the current license and other persons that Cabinet Order prescribes) must not carry a passenger while driving a standard motorcycle on a national expressway or limited highway.
A person holding a large motorcycle license as referred to in Article 84, paragraph (3) who has not held that license for at least one year in total (not counting any period during which the person's license was suspended) (other than a person currently holding a standard motorcycle license as referred to in that paragraph who has held that license for at least one year in total (not counting any period during which the person's license was suspended) and other persons that Cabinet Order prescribes) must not carry a passenger while driving a standard or large motorcycle.
A person holding a standard motorcycle license as referred to in Article 84, paragraph (3) (other than a person also holding a large motorcycle license as referred to in that paragraph) who has not held that license for at least one year in total (not counting any period during which the person's license was suspended) (other than a person who has held a standard motorcycle license at some point within the six months before the day on which the person came to hold the current license and other persons that Cabinet Order prescribes) must not carry a passenger while driving a standard motorcycle.
Cabinet Office Order provides for the standards for motorcycle helmets as referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2).