May 2015
JAMA Launches Its 2015 Spring Road Safety Campaign
The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) is pleased to announce the conduct of its annual spring road safety campaign from April 29 through May 31 this year. Intentionally, the campaign’s duration parallels that of the Japanese government’s nationwide spring traffic safety campaign (May 11-20) carried out by the National Police Agency.
In 2014 there were 4,113 road fatalities in Japan (260 fewer than in 2013), marking the fourteenth consecutive annual decline in those fatalities. Road accidents and injuries, which both reached historic highs in 2004, fell for the tenth successive year, to 573,842 and 711,374 respectively. These numbers nevertheless remain excessively high. The Japanese government has responded by taking measures to reduce the number of annual road fatalities to fewer than 3,000 by 2015, in line with its goal of making Japan’s roads the safest in the world.
Road safety is also an issue of utmost concern for JAMA, which fully supports the government’s road fatalities reduction goal. JAMA’s own initiatives towards that goal comprise not only the promotion of vehicle-based safety-enhancing measures but also road user-directed measures, including its twice-yearly road safety campaigns, in spring and autumn, which JAMA conducts in a sustained push for safer motoring conditions nationwide.
Priority Issues Addressed in JAMA’s 2015 Spring Road Safety Campaign
- Rear Seatbelt Use (for Passenger Vehicle Users)
The use of rear seatbelts has been compulsory in Japan since June 2008. However, seatbelt use by rear-seat passengers in passenger vehicles driving on regular roads (i.e., other than expressways) was tracked in 2014 at only 35.1%, far lower than the rates of seatbelt use by drivers (98.2%) and front-seat passengers (93.9%). JAMA’s spring road safety campaign will therefore strongly promote rear seatbelt use, particularly since the accident fatality rate of unbelted backseat passengers is more than three times greater than that of backseat passengers who have buckled up.
- Proper Helmet Wearing (for Motorcycle Riders)
Of the 697 persons who died in Japan in 2014 while riding a motorcycle, 42.3% suffered head injuries, even though 96.3% of the riders were wearing their helmets. A common occurrence for 31.3% of the victims who were wearing their helmets was the sudden loss of their helmets on collision impact. With the primary reason for helmet loss being the incorrect or non-fastening of helmet chinstraps, JAMA’s spring road safety campaign will urgently appeal to motorcycle and moped riders to always fasten their helmets securely before starting off.
Summary Profile of JAMA’s 2015 Spring Road Safety Campaign
Campaign |
April 29 (Wednesday) through May 31 (Sunday), 2015 |
Focal issues |
-For passenger vehicle users, promotion of the use of rear seatbelts, whose use is low compared to the use of front seatbelts. |
Slogans |
-For passenger vehicle occupants (drivers and passengers): |
Communication modalities
An infomercial produced for the campaign to promote the use of rear seatbelts in passenger vehicles (featuring visuals from crash tests conducted by the Japan Automobile Federation) and a video conveying the message to “Fasten your helmet chinstrap securely” will be aired through the following channels for the duration of the campaign.
Giant outdoor display screens |
A total of 40 such screens nationwide, installed on the roadside where traffic volume is particularly heavy. |
Information display screens in expressway service areas |
HDTV screens installed in about 100 service areas located on the East, Central and West Japan Expressway routes. |
Web site |
At http://campaign.jama.or.jp/, to encourage wider viewing of the infomercial promoting rear seatbelt use. The site will also feature a road traffic safety quiz offering chances to win prizes. |
