Shizuoka Prefecture to make bicycle helmets compulsory for high school students, the first in the nation, says it's a "disgrace" Why do officials hope the stigma will be reversed?

Shizuoka Prefecture, which has the 6th worst bicycle helmet wearing rate in the nation, has taken a step towards eliminating accidents. The prefectural assembly passed the nation's first ordinance amendment requiring high school students, who have a particularly low rate of wearing helmets, to wear helmets while commuting to school, and it will go into effect from April next year. A person in charge of the prefecture expressed mixed feelings, saying, ``This is a disgraceful first in the country because there are so many accidents,'' and hopes that the stigma will be reversed.

Ahead of the introduction of "Blue Tickets", high school students raise awareness and spread activities to eliminate bicycle accidents - Osaka

With the enactment of the revised Road Traffic Law in 2023, high school students will be required to make efforts to wear helmets while riding bicycles. According to a survey conducted by the National Police Agency in 2025, the overall wearing rate of Shizuoka Prefecture was 9.9%, ranking 6th worst among 47 prefectures. There have been accidents involving high school students in the prefecture for three consecutive years since 2024.

According to Shizuoka Prefectural Police, there were 3,559 bicycle accidents involving high school students in the prefecture in the five years up to last year, far exceeding those of elementary school students (551) and junior high school students (901). Only 4.7% of students were wearing a helmet at the time of an accident, which was extremely low compared to 68.8% of elementary school students and 47.2% of junior high school students.

In response to a high number of accidents and a low rate of bicycle wear, the prefecture decided to revise its bicycle ordinance. High school students are required to wear them when commuting to school, but there are no penalties for violations. The prefecture is working to spread awareness through flyers and posters in preparation for its implementation in April next year. Masaru Takahashi, head of the prefecture's Living Traffic Safety Division, who was involved in the ordinance revision, said, ``We should have moved quickly to encourage high school students, who often use bicycles to commute to school, to wear them,'' and emphasized, ``We want people to wear them to protect their future.''

A person in charge of the Japan Traffic Safety Education and Promotion Association (Tokyo), which teaches people to abide by bicycle rules through traffic safety classes, said, ``Many fatal injuries are caused by head injuries.The revision, which targets high school students who often use bicycles, is a good initiative.'' He added, ``Not only high school students but adults are at the same risk of accidents.I hope they will continue to wear helmets even when they become adults.''