Japan Ordinary Licence Theory cheat sheet

General road speed limit is 60 km/h unless signs specify otherwise; on expressways the general limit is 100 km/h (specified maximum 120 km/h on designated sections).

Minimum following distance on ordinary roads: keep at least the distance covered in 2 seconds; on expressways the guideline is 2 seconds at 100 km/h, i.e. about 55 m.

Left-side driving: overtaking is done on the right of the vehicle ahead; passing on the left is permitted when the ahead vehicle is turning right or when a lane is designated for the direction.

Driving under the influence: alcohol ≥0.15 mg/L breath or 0.3 mg/mL blood is 酒気帯び; any alcohol with impaired driving is 酒酔い. Penalties apply also to the provider of the vehicle and to passengers who encouraged drinking.

Pedestrians on a crosswalk have absolute priority; a vehicle must stop before the crosswalk when a pedestrian is crossing or about to cross.

At an intersection without signals or signs, vehicles on the wider road have priority; where roads are equally wide, the vehicle approaching from the left yields.

A right turn at an intersection must be made along the left edge of the road center (小回り右折), entering the intersecting road close to the left side.

Parking (駐車) is prohibited within 5 m of a crosswalk or intersection edge and within 3 m of a bus stop sign; stopping (停車) is prohibited within 5 m of a fire hydrant or railway crossing.

Level crossing: stop before the crossing when a train is approaching or the alarm sounds; never enter before confirming the far side is clear.

Circular red-rimmed signs are 規制標識 (regulatory); blue circular signs are 指定標識 (mandatory instructions); red-and-white triangular signs are 警戒標識 (warning); rectangular blue/green signs are 指示標識 (guidance).

Temporary signs are mounted on yellow backgrounds; they override permanent signs while displayed.

Flashing red signal = stop at the stop line and proceed only when safe; flashing yellow = proceed with caution, giving priority to vehicles on the priority road.

A red light with a green right-turn arrow permits only a right turn; a green arrow overrides the red for the indicated direction.

Yellow center line = no crossing for overtaking; white dashed center line = overtaking permitted when safe; white solid line = no lane change or crossing.

Zebra crosswalk markings (横断歩道) and diamond markings (◇) ahead warn of a crosswalk; no stopping or parking on the crosswalk itself.

Stop line (停止線): a vehicle must stop immediately before the line, not on it, when required by a signal or sign.

Zone markings (ゾーン30, ゾーン20) set a maximum speed for the whole area; the zone entry sign governs until the zone exit sign.

Visual lead time: scan 12–15 seconds ahead in urban areas and 20–25 seconds on expressways; keep eyes moving rather than fixating.

Following-distance rule: at least 2 seconds behind the vehicle ahead in dry conditions; double to 4 seconds in rain and 6+ seconds on ice or snow.

Hidden-hazard rule: when a parked car, blind corner, or bus stop obscures the view, assume a pedestrian or cyclist will emerge and reduce speed before the obstruction.

At dusk and night, a pedestrian in dark clothing becomes visible at only about 25–30 m on low beam; reduce speed so stopping distance stays within the illuminated range.

Intersection entry: check right-left-right again after the light changes; a stale green or a newly changed yellow requires a decision to stop if stopping distance allows.

Motorcycles and bicycles are easily hidden in the A-pillar blind spot; move the head, not just the eyes, before turning or changing lanes.

Fatigue rule: after 2 hours of continuous driving, take a break of at least 15 minutes; drowsiness impairs reaction time comparably to low-level alcohol.

Wet-road braking distance is roughly 1.5–2 times the dry distance; hydroplaning risk rises above about 80 km/h with standing water.

Engine braking is produced by releasing the accelerator with the clutch engaged; lower gear = stronger engine braking, used to control speed on long descents and prevent brake fade.

ABS prevents wheel lock but does not shorten stopping distance on loose gravel or snow; maintain firm, continuous pedal pressure and steer.

Tire legal minimum tread depth is 1.6 mm; the safe guideline is replacement at 3–4 mm, and tread depth below 1.6 mm is a violation.

Correct tire pressure is the cold pressure specified on the door-jamb or fuel-filler label; under-inflation raises rolling resistance and heat, risking a blowout.

Seat belt: the lap belt sits low across the hips, the shoulder belt across the collarbone; a child under 6 must use a child seat (exceptions for medical reasons).

Headlight use: low beam at night, in tunnels, and in rain or fog; high beam only when it will not dazzle oncoming or preceding drivers, switching to low beam within about 150 m of an oncoming vehicle.

Pre-drive check (日常点検): tires, brakes, lights, wipers, washer fluid, engine oil, coolant, and battery; a brake pedal that sinks to the floor indicates a fluid leak - do not drive.

Manual transmission hill start: use the parking brake or the clutch's half-engagement point to prevent rollback; automatic transmissions creep forward when in D.

Immediate duties after a crash: stop the vehicle, warn other traffic, rescue and aid the injured, and report to police (交通事故の報告義務).

Failing to stop (ひき逃げ) is a serious criminal offence; stopping and assisting reduce legal exposure substantially.

Warning: switch on hazard lights, place a warning triangle or flare about 50 m behind the vehicle on ordinary roads and 200 m on expressways, then evacuate behind the guardrail.

Do not move an injured person unless there is fire, risk of a secondary collision, or the airway is obstructed; suspected spinal injury requires immobilisation.

Bleeding control: apply direct pressure with a clean cloth; do not remove an object impaled in a wound - stabilise it instead.

Brake failure: pump the pedal rapidly, downshift for engine braking, and use the parking brake gradually; a runaway accelerator is handled by shifting to neutral and braking firmly.

Tire blowout: grip the wheel firmly, avoid hard braking, ease off the accelerator, and steer straight until the vehicle slows, then pull over.

Fire: switch off the engine, evacuate upwind, and use the extinguisher aimed at the base of the flames; never open the hood fully if smoke is escaping.

Report content: time, place, number and condition of casualties, vehicle details, and what happened - record the other party's plate, insurer, and contact details.

Licence validity: ordinary licences are generally valid until the holder's birthday in the 3rd year after issuance (5 years for holders with a gold licence and a good record); renewal is possible from 2 months before the birthday.

Penalty points (点数) accumulate; a 6-point violation in one act generally brings a 30-day suspension (execution 30 days after the notice) and 15 points brings revocation.

A licence is revoked for driving without a licence, drunk driving, or hit-and-run; the disqualification period ranges from 1 year to 10 years depending on the violation.

The 初心者標識 (novice mark) must be displayed for the first year after obtaining an ordinary licence; failure to display is a violation.

The 高齢者標識 (elderly mark) is an obligation for drivers aged 70 and over (effort obligation from 75 in some contexts) - a もみじ mark is used.

Report duties: a change of name or address must be reported within 10 days; a lost licence requires a reissue application.

Driving is prohibited when the licence is expired, suspended, or when the driver exceeds the permitted conditions (e.g. glasses without wearing them).

Accumulated-points system: 3 points or less may be cleared by a traffic-violation course (交通違反者講習) if the driver has not been sanctioned in the preceding 3 years.

Eco-driving basics: start smoothly, accelerate gently to the target speed, and maintain a steady pace; avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking.

Idling stop: switching off the engine for stops of more than about 5 seconds saves fuel; idling for 10 minutes wastes roughly 0.14 L of fuel.

Tire pressure: under-inflation by 50 kPa (0.5 bar) increases fuel consumption by about 2–3% and accelerates wear.

Remove unnecessary loads and roof racks; 100 kg of extra weight raises fuel consumption by roughly 3%.

Air conditioning raises fuel use by about 10–20%; use the blower and ventilation first, and set the temperature moderately.

Plan the route and combine trips; a cold engine uses more fuel, so short repeated trips are less efficient than one combined trip.

Coasting in neutral does not save fuel in modern fuel-injected vehicles and reduces control; use engine braking in gear instead.

Regular maintenance (air filter, spark plugs, oil) and correct wheel alignment reduce fuel consumption and emissions.