Survey on Awareness of the Bicycle "Blue Ticket" System to be Implemented on April 1, 2026

Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. (CEO: Koji Ishikawa, hereinafter "Sompo Japan") conducted a survey on the awareness of the bicycle traffic violation ticket system (hereinafter the "Blue Ticket System") among 947 men and women aged 16 and over nationwide, in anticipation of the system's launch in April 2026.

1. Background of the Survey

The revised Road Traffic Act, which includes the introduction of the Blue Ticket System – where a ticket is issued for bicycle traffic violations, and criminal penalties are waived upon payment of a fine within a specified period – will be enforced on April 1, 2026. This is against the backdrop of bicycle accidents accounting for a high proportion of around 20% of all traffic accidents in recent years, making dangerous cycling a social issue.

The previous system, which used the "Standard Form for Swift Processing of Road Traffic Act Violations (hereinafter the 'Red Ticket')", was criticized for being insufficient in holding violators accountable due to its greater temporal and procedural burden compared to traffic violations by automobiles, for which the Blue Ticket system is already in place. The new system aims to resolve this complexity, enabling swift and effective responses, thereby encouraging bicycle users to comply with traffic rules and deterring violations.

To ensure the smooth adoption of this significant system change and promote compliance with traffic rules among bicycle users, it is essential to accurately grasp the current situation. Therefore, this survey was conducted prior to the new system's launch to provide an opportunity for people to think about traffic safety by clarifying awareness of the new system and attitudes towards safe cycling.

2. Key Survey Findings

3. Survey Overview

(1) Survey Period: January 23, 2026 - January 30, 2026

(2) Survey Method: Internet-based survey (anonymous)

(3) Survey Regions: All 47 prefectures nationwide

(4) Survey Respondents: 947 men and women aged 16 and over

4. Survey Results

■ Awareness of the Blue Ticket System Launch

Understanding the new system is crucial for safe driving. Regarding awareness of the Blue Ticket system launch, only 16.5% of respondents indicated they "understand the details of the system (e.g., violations covered, penalties)," while 21.1% stated they "knew nothing at all," indicating that awareness has not yet sufficiently spread. Among those who understood the details, the proportion was highest for those who cycle "almost daily" (27.6%), followed by "2-3 times a week" (17.1%), "once a week" (13.4%), and "2-3 times a month" (20.0%). Those who "never cycle" were 10.2%.

Differences were also observed by age group. The proportion of respondents who understood the details was highest among "60 years and over" (21.1%), and lowest among "40-49 years old" (11.9%).

These results reveal that while many people have a vague awareness that "some new rule is starting," their understanding of the system's specifics, such as "what actions constitute a violation and what penalties apply," has not kept pace.

Q: "To what extent are you aware that a 'Blue Ticket' system, imposing fines for bicycle traffic violations, will start from April 2026?" (Single answer, n=947)

■ Awareness of the Target Age for the Blue Ticket System

When asked, "Did you know that the bicycle 'Blue Ticket' system targets individuals aged 16 and over?", 44.6% of respondents answered "Yes." Notably, only the "16-19 years old" age group (55.1%) had a majority answering "Yes," suggesting higher interest in whether they themselves are subject to the system compared to other age groups. Furthermore, the proportion of those who "knew" increased with higher frequency of bicycle use.

Q: Did you know that the bicycle 'Blue Ticket' system targets individuals aged 16 and over? (Single answer, n=947)

■ Understanding of Violations Covered by the System

When asked about violations they believe are covered by the Blue Ticket, the most selected option was "using a smartphone or talking on the phone while riding" (68.0%). This was followed by "listening to music with earphones, etc., while riding" (63.6%) and "riding with an umbrella" (62.4%).

Conversely, 55.5% and 39.4% mistakenly selected "drunk driving" and "road rage," respectively, which are covered by the Red Ticket (criminal penalties).

Q: From the following options, please select all violations you believe are covered by the Blue Ticket. Note that some options are not violations, or are covered by the Red Ticket (criminal penalties) instead of the Blue Ticket. (Multiple answers, n=947)

■ "Might Do" Violations

When asked about actions they "might do" while cycling, "failure to stop" (39.7%) was the most common response, followed by "riding on the sidewalk (excluding unavoidable cases or where signs permit bicycle traffic)" (31.6%) and "riding on the right side of the road (counter-flow)" (31.5%). Approximately 20% also admitted they "might do" "running a red light" or "using a smartphone or talking on the phone while riding." On the other hand, only 15.3% stated they "would not do" any of these.

Q: Please select any of the following that you "might do." (Multiple answers possible, n=594)

■ Significant Discrepancy in Awareness of Fines for "Distracted Cycling"

Under the Blue Ticket system, the fine for "using a mobile phone, etc. (holding)" (so-called distracted cycling) is "12,000 yen." However, when asked about this fine, the most common response was "don't know" (over 40% of all respondents). Only about 3% of respondents gave the correct amount of "12,000 yen," indicating that specific fine amounts under the new Blue Ticket system are not yet widely recognized.

Among those who provided an amount, "5,000 yen" was a particularly frequent answer. While some expected lower fines like "3,000 yen," others anticipated higher fines such as "20,000 yen" or "50,000 yen," showing a wide range of perceptions.

■ Near-Miss Incidents While Cycling

When asked about who or what they nearly collided with while cycling in the past year, "automobiles" were the most frequent response at 43.6%, followed by "pedestrians" (36.9%) and "other bicycles" (26.4%).

The majority of users experienced dangerous situations while riding in the past year, underscoring the importance of safe cycling.

Q: Regarding "near-miss" experiences while cycling in the past year, who or what did you nearly collide with? (Multiple answers, n=594)

■ For or Against the Introduction of the Blue Ticket System

When asked about their stance on the introduction of the bicycle "Blue Ticket" system, a total of 64.5% answered "Agree" or "Somewhat Agree," significantly exceeding the "Disagree" or "Somewhat Disagree" responses, which totaled 12.7%. Across all age groups, the proportion of "Disagree" and "Somewhat Disagree" responses remained low.

The most common reason for agreement was "because I believe it will reduce dangerous driving and accidents" (48.7%), followed by "because it will raise awareness of rule-following among bicycle users" (39.7%) and "because pedestrians will be able to walk with peace of mind" (6.6%).

Reasons for opposition included "imposing fines is too strict for a convenient mode of transport like a bicycle" (39.2%), "it feels like the purpose is to collect fines rather than improve traffic safety" (30.0%), and "it's unclear which actions constitute violations, which could lead to increased trouble with pedestrians, other cyclists, or the police" (22.5%). Other comments included "(bicycle) sidewalk riding is unrealistic in Japan with narrow roads," "prohibiting sidewalk riding will increase accidents," and "please improve the roads first."

Q: Do you agree or disagree with the introduction of the bicycle "Blue Ticket" system? (Single answer, n=947)

■ Cases of Compensation for Bicycle Accidents

Similar to automobiles, bicycles can also incur high compensation payments if an accident causes injury to another party. When asked, "Did you know that there have been cases where high compensation orders of nearly 100 million yen were issued for bicycle accidents causing injury to others?", 54.6% of respondents answered "Yes." By age group, "No" responses exceeded "Yes" responses among "16-19 years old" and "30-39 years old." Furthermore, the proportion of those who "knew" was higher among frequent cyclists, while the proportion of those who "did not know" was higher among infrequent cyclists. This indicates that a certain level of societal understanding exists regarding the financial risks associated with accidents.

Q: Did you know that there have been cases where high compensation orders of nearly 100 million yen were issued for bicycle accidents causing injury to others? (Single answer, n=947)

【Past Examples of High Compensation】

〇 July 2013 Kobe District Court Ruling

In an accident where a junior high school boy's bicycle collided head-on with a 62-year-old woman walking home, causing her to become unconscious, a compensation order of approximately 95 million yen was issued.

〇 July 2020 Takamatsu District Court Ruling

A high school boy, riding his bicycle at night without lights while listening to music with earphones, fled from a police patrol car and collided with a police officer on duty. The police officer later died. A compensation order of approximately 93 million yen was issued.

5. Sompo Japan's Traffic Safety Initiatives

Sompo Japan not only provides peace of mind through financial support in the event of an accident, but also actively engages in various traffic safety awareness activities to realize a society where accidents do not occur and everyone can live with peace of mind.

(1) Yellow Patch

Sompo Japan, Mizuho Financial Group, Inc., Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, and Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company jointly present "Yellow Patches" with traffic accident injury insurance to all new first-grade elementary school students nationwide every spring. By wearing the patch, we aim to promote traffic safety among children going to school, while also alerting parents and drivers, and contributing to the prevention of child traffic accidents. This initiative started in 1965 and will mark its 62nd year in 2026, with a cumulative total of approximately 73.83 million patches distributed.

(2) Traffic Juggler

As part of Sompo Japan's unique disaster prevention education program, "Disaster Prevention Juggler Project," we offer traffic safety awareness workshops called "Traffic Juggler ~Find the Dangers!~." These workshops allow participants to learn correct traffic rules in a fun way by identifying potential dangers in their surroundings while looking at maps. There are two types: pedestrian and bicycle versions, each with a basic level for lower elementary school students and an advanced level for upper elementary school students, tailored to their age. The key points and explanations of traffic rules are also beneficial for adults.

(3) Insurance for Bicycle Accidents

Bicycle accidents present two main risks: "compensation for injuries caused to others" and "coverage for your own injuries." Sompo Japan offers insurance products to prepare for these risks. In many cases, comprehensive coverage can be obtained by adding a rider to an existing insurance policy.

① Compensation to Others: Personal Liability Rider

This covers high-value compensation for accidental damage in daily life, such as causing injury to another person in a bicycle accident. It can be added as a rider to policies such as the personal automobile insurance "THE Kuruma no Hoken," the comprehensive fire and casualty insurance "THE Sumai no Hoken," and the personal accident and income protection insurance "THE Karada no Hoken."

② Own Injuries: Accident Insurance, etc.

This provides coverage for hospitalization and outpatient treatment in case of personal injury due to an accident. It can be covered by "THE Karada no Hoken," or by adding the "Personal Injury Coverage for Transportation Accidents Rider" to "THE Kuruma no Hoken," which expands the scope of covered accidents beyond those occurring while riding in your insured vehicle.

6. Future Outlook

This survey revealed challenges in public awareness regarding the bicycle Blue Ticket system. It also highlighted that many riders recognize that they "might do" violations such as "failure to stop."

Sompo Japan will contribute to raising traffic safety awareness, taking into account the challenges identified in this survey, in pursuit of realizing SOMPO's purpose: "Towards a future brimming with 'peace of mind, safety, and health.'"

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