[Why I love Japan] 3. Pedestrians safety...

Picture showing how vehicles wait for
pedestrians to cross the road

Pedestrian safety, Japan has given utmost importance for pedestrian safety.  There are several types of pedestrian crosses.
1. Automatic Signaled
2. Request Signaled
3. Non-signaled


Whatever be the case pedestrians have highest priority to cross the road.  The traffic rules have gone to the extent that even if a pedestrian crosses the road in a non designated place (i.e. even not using the zebra cross) the responsibility for the pedestrian is limited to 20%.  80% of responsibility is to the vehicles [Still Japanese does not mis-use this i.e. almost the cross in the zebra cross]. 


I have never seen a main road that does not have a pedestrian sidewalk [at least it will be in one side of the road].  There are small roads that does not have a pedestrian sidewalk, but have a pedestrian lane where vehicles are not supposed to drive.


Disclaimer: This is my personal observation in Japan for about 14 years, you may think in other countries the pedestrian safety is managed much better than Japan.  Good to know about that.