September 20, 2016

JAMA Launches Its 2016 Autumn Road Safety Campaign

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) is pleased to announce the conduct of its annual autumn road safety campaign from September 21 through December 31 this year. The campaign’s launch date coincides with that of the Japanese government’s Autumn Traffic Safety Campaign (September 21-30) conducted the National Police Agency.

The government’s 10th Basic Plan for Road Safety, in effect from April 2016, aims to reduce the total annual number of road fatalities to 2,500 or fewer by 2020, and thereby to make Japan’s roads the safest in the world.

Road safety is also a top priority for JAMA. Accordingly, it will continue not only to promote expanded vehicle-based advanced safety measures but also to implement road user-directed safety measures, including the conduct of its annual spring and autumn road safety campaigns, to contribute to safer motoring conditions nationwide.

In 2015 there were 4,117 road fatalities in Japan (four more than in 2014), reversing an uninterrupted fifteen-year-long decline. Meanwhile, the rate of elderly road fatalities has been rising steadily. Senior citizens accounted for 54.6% of all road fatalities in Japan in 2015; of those elderly fatalities, 47.6% were pedestrians, which further underscores the continuing urgent need for road safety measures specifically targeting elderly people walking on or next to roads.

In view of this reality, a particular focus of JAMA’s 2016 autumn road safety campaign will be the prevention of road fatalities involving elderly pedestrians.

Priority Issues Addressed in JAMA’s 2016 Autumn Road Safety Campaign

For Drivers: Early Use of Headlights at Dusk

The number of pedestrian fatalities occurring after dark is more than twice the number occurring during the daytime (daytime fatalities: 30.8%; nighttime fatalities: 69.2%), and from autumn to year’s end there is a marked increase in elderly pedestrian fatalities in the twilight hours. The campaign will therefore urge motorists to turn on their headlights early at dusk.

For the Elderly: Caution When Crossing Roads and Wearing of Reflective Materials after Daylight Hours

In view of the large share of elderly pedestrian fatalities in road deaths (see above), the campaign will encourage elderly pedestrians to be attentive to their safety when crossing roads and to wear reflective materials after daylight hours to ensure their greater visibility.

For Motorcycle Riders: Proper Wearing of Helmets

There were 677 motorcycle fatalities in Japan in 2015, of which 42.8% suffered head injuries. Almost one-third (202 persons) of the 662 victims wearing helmets suddenly lost their helmets on collision impact. The campaign will therefore urge motorcycle and moped riders to always fasten their chinstraps securely before starting off, thereby avoiding the loose or otherwise improper wearing of helmets.

Summary of Campaign Content and Messages

Content

To help prevent road fatalities involving elderly pedestrians:

Appeals to motorists to turn on their headlights early in the evening.
Appeals to elderly pedestrians to wear reflective materials after dark.

To help prevent motorcycle rider fatalities:

Appeals to riders to fasten helmet chinstraps securely before starting off.

Messages

“Turn on your headlights early in the evening.” (for drivers)
“Wear reflective materials after daylight hours.” (for the elderly)
“Fasten your helmet chinstrap securely.” (for motorcycle riders)

Communication Strategies

Airing of an animated video featuring Bonobono, the campaign’s friendly sea-otter mascot, on the following media to encourage the turning on of headlights early in the evening, the wearing of reflective materials for pedestrian self-protection, and the proper fastening of motorcycle helmet chinstraps.

YouTube	The video will be accessible on YouTube.
Large outdoor display screens	The video will be shown on 39 large outdoor screens installed in 14 prefectures nationwide at locations where vehicle and pedestrian traffic is particularly heavy (October 1-October 31).
Expressway service area information display screens	The video will be shown on HDTV screens installed at around 100 service areas along the East, Central and West Japan Expressway routes (September 21-December 31).
Campaign website	A dedicated website will be launched to 1) conduct a road safety quiz and award prizes to persons correctly answering the quiz questions after viewing the animated video and 2) conduct a road safety photograph contest accessible on social media, to promote greater public awareness of the campaign (September 21-December 31).

Airing of AM radio commercials at 32 radio stations nationwide to mount appeals to motorists to turn on their headlights early at dusk and appeals to motorcycle riders to wear their helmets properly (October 1-October 31).

Distribution of reflective materials to kindergartens in Aichi, Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures, where elderly pedestrian road fatalities are particularly high; the aim is to encourage the kindergartens’ pupils to give those materials as presents to their grandparents to promote the wearing of reflective materials by elderly persons after daylight hours (September 1-September 16, to ensure distribution in time for Respect-for-the-Aged Day on September 19).

Provision of links to the road safety campaign website on the websites of JAMA member manufacturers (September 21-December 31).

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