[Q.] Is it a violation to ride a motorcycle on a highway at less than 50km/h?
[A.] Minimum speed limit violation: 6,000 yen fine, 1 violation point
On expressways, there are many speed enforcement measures. Generally, when we think of speeding, we think of exceeding the legal speed limit of 100 km/h (80 km/h or 120 km/h in some places). However, it is also a violation for both motorcycles and cars to drive slower than the minimum legal speed limit.
The minimum speed on expressways is generally 50km/h. Therefore, if you drive at 40km/h, for example, you will be in violation of the minimum speed limit, so be careful.
The minimum speeding penalties are as follows:
[ Penalties for minimum speed violation (for motorcycles)]
Fine: 6,000 yen
Violation points: 1 point
For reference, the following penalties will be imposed for speeding:
[Speeding Penalties (for motorcycles)]
Speeding less than 15km → Fine: 7,000 yen, penalty points: 1 point
Speeding between 15km and 20km → Fine: 9,000 yen, penalty points: 1 point
Speeding between 20km and 25km → Fine: 12,000 yen, penalty points: 2 points
Speeding between 25km and 30km → Fine: 15,000 yen, penalty points: 3 points
Speeding between 30km and 35km → Fine: 20,000 yen, penalty points: 3 points
Speeding between 35km and 40km → Fine: 30,000 yen, penalty points: 3 points
In addition to the above, if you are caught speeding by 40km/h on the highway, you will receive a red ticket (the notice will be red) and your license will be suspended immediately. In that case, if you exceed the speed limit of 40km but less than 50km, you will receive 6 points, and if you exceed 50km, you will receive 12 points. Even if you have no previous offense, 6 points will result in a 30-day suspension, and 12 points will result in a 90-day suspension.
Also, there is no fine, but this is because you will be held criminally responsible. Therefore, the punishment is more severe, and you will be put on trial and, depending on the outcome, you will be subject to a fine (or in some cases, imprisonment). In this case, the penalty is “imprisonment for up to six months or a fine of up to 100,000 yen.”
On highways, you must obey not only the legal maximum speed limit but also the legal minimum speed limit.
[Q.] Is it a violation to stay in the rightmost lane?
[A.] A fine of 6,000 yen and 1 violation point for a vehicle lane violation.
The rightmost lane on the expressway is the lane for overtaking the vehicle in front, known as the “passing lane.” Once you have finished overtaking the vehicle in front, the rule is to quickly return to the left lane.
Therefore, it is a violation to stay in the passing lane and drive for a long distance. However, there is no specific rule that states how many kilometers you must drive before it becomes a violation. This is apparently up to the discretion of the police officer in charge, but it is said that 2 kilometers is generally considered the standard.
If you are caught in such a case, it will be considered a “vehicle lane violation” and the penalties will be as follows:
[Penalties for vehicle lane violations (for motorcycles)]
Fine: 6,000 yen
Violation points: 1 point
It is illegal to drive in the right-hand passing lane for a long period of time.
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There are surprisingly many other points to be aware of when it comes to the rules for riding motorcycles on expressways, such as the engine displacement of motorcycles that can be ridden, the conditions for a driver’s license, and areas where riding is prohibited. For more details, please refer to the article linked below.
Driving below 50km/h on the expressway is also a violation! Here are some unexpected highway violations you may not know about | Motor-Fan [Motor Fan] A media platform that mainly distributes car-related articlesMotorcycles with an engine displacement of 125cc or less are prohibited from riding on expressways. By law, the only motorcycles that can be ridden on expressways are “light motorcycles” (two-wheeled light vehicles) with an engine displacement of over 125cc and up to 250cc, and “small motorcycles” (two-wheeled small vehicles) with an engine displacement of over 250cc. In other words, motorcycles with an engine displacement of 125cc or less are prohibited from riding on expressways.
