【Tokyo police to issue ‘red tickets’ to cyclists violating traffic laws】

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has started cracking down on cyclists violating traffic laws due to a series of fatal accidents from reckless bicycling.

The tighter regulations, which include issuing a “red ticket,” came into effect on Monday, Kyodo News reported. A police officer near Ikebukuro Station distributed leaflets detailing the offenses subject to tighter regulations to people commuting to work by bicycle.

Until now, police have so far issued warnings without penalties to reckless cyclists, with the exception of malicious behavior. From now on, bicycle riders will be given “red tickets” for the following four offenses: ignoring traffic signals, failing to stop temporarily, riding on the wrong side of the road, and riding on sidewalks without slowing down.

Offenders can be subject to criminal charges in cases where injury or death are the result of cyclists hitting pedestrians.