Should You Consider Enrolling In One of the Driving Schools in Japan?

If you are not Japanese and not familiar with the traffic rules and regulations, then most definitely, it would be a wise move to enroll in a driving school in Japan. There are just too many differences that you should know before getting behind a wheel and driving around Japan. For instance, did you know that there are different kinds of driver’s licenses? Also, are you aware that your choice of vehicle will determine the kind of license that will be issued to you?

If you’re worried about the language barrier, you don’t have to be. The Japanese people are some of the most accommodating and gracious in the world. You will be able to find a driving school with bilingual instructors. In the school, you will be given comprehensive lectures on everything to do with driving in Japan. At stake is the schools’ reputation which Japanese take very seriously.

To obtain the local driver’s license, you have to pass a physical, written, and a practical test. One major mistake and you get sent back to try again another day.

The advantage of going to a driving school in Japan is that if you pass the driving test of the school, you are exempt from having to take it again at the licensing test center. This is a clear example of the respect and reputation each driving school has in order to be in business.

It’s easy to find a good driving school in Japan. Every prefecture has one or one close by. If you need to renew your license, you must return to the driving licensing center one month before expiration. If you allow your license to expire, then you will have to repeat all tests like you did the first time you got your license.

Road safety in any country is always a top concern especially when there are foreigners with international driver’s licenses who are unfamiliar with local road and traffic laws.  It is for this reason that some countries only validate international driver’s license for several months. After this grace period, a driver planning to stay in the host country must apply for a local driver’s license.

Visitors must understand that many road accidents happen because of ignorance of the law. In fact more than a million people die every year as bystanders along the roadside because of vehicles that lose control or from inability of the drivers to follow certain road laws.

 

Aside from this there are other concerns that can be provided to foreign drivers when attending a road safety/driver’s course. Two of these issues would be how to avoid being a victim of carjacking or how to adjust to driving on the opposite side of the road. International driving permits can be obtained should be obtained before leaving your home country and you should have a valid driver’s license with no pending violations.

If you are traveling to a country where the drivers stays on the left side of the road, do be sure to practice once you get to that country. Choose roads that are sparsely used and avoid heavy traffic. It’s disorienting to say the least for the first few runs, and will take days if not weeks to get used to it.

In some countries, aside from the international driver’s permit, one must also get a road permit. Check with local authorities if it applies to the foreign country you are in. If you are caught driving without the legal papers, you will face large fines that could knock your budget out of the park. It would be much easier to ask instead of waiting for something catastrophic to happen to ruin your sty.