Driving in Afghanistan vs. Japan: Key Safety Differences

When exploring the roads of Afghanistan and Japan, drivers encounter striking contrasts in regulations and practices. While Afghanistan follows a right-hand driving system with less structured lane markings, Japan adheres to left-side navigation with clearly defined bus and cycle lanes. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for ensuring safe and confident travels in both nations.

afghanistanjapan

RIGHT

Driving Side

The driving side in afghanistan is the Right Side of the road

Driving Safety Score

The driving Driving Safety Score in afghanistan is 29

0.871 $

Gas Price in USD

The driving Driving Safety Score for afghanistan is 0.871 US Dollars

While the driving side of a country remains the same, the driving safety score is updated annually based on each countries car accident fatality rate. Lastly, the gas price is only an estimate. Due to frequent fluctuations, it serves as a general reference rather than an exact figure for each country.

Lanes

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	Afghanistan	Japan
Driving Side	Right	Left
Markings: Solid Yellow Line	Not commonly used.	Marks the right edge on divided roads.
Markings: Dashed Yellow Line	Not commonly used.	Centerline on two-way roads; passing permitted when safe.
Overtaking: On Left	Yes	No
Overtaking: On Right	Allowed on multi-lane roads or when the vehicle ahead is turning left.	Yes, overtaking is done on the right.
Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles	Use rightmost lane.	Use leftmost lane.
Bus Lanes: Presence	No	Yes
Bus Lanes: Usage	N/A	Reserved for buses and sometimes taxis during specific hours.
Bus Lanes: Markings	N/A	Labeled with bus symbols; specific times indicated with road signs.
Cycle Lanes: Presence	No	Yes
Cycle Lanes: Usage	N/A	Shared with lanes or exclusive for bicycles.
Cycle Lanes: Markings	N/A	Bicycle symbols and sometimes colored pavement.
High- Occupancy Lanes: Requirements	N/A	N/A
Variable Speed Limits: Presence	No	Yes
Variable Speed Limits: Indications	N/A	Electronic signs display current limits.

Driving Side

afghanistan:

Right

japan:

Left

Markings: Solid Yellow Line

afghanistan:

Not commonly used.

japan:

Marks the right edge on divided roads.

Markings: Dashed Yellow Line

afghanistan:

Not commonly used.

japan:

Centerline on two-way roads; passing permitted when safe.

Overtaking: On Left

afghanistan:

Yes

japan:

Overtaking: On Right

afghanistan:

Allowed on multi-lane roads or when the vehicle ahead is turning left.

japan:

Yes, overtaking is done on the right.

Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles

afghanistan:

Use rightmost lane.

japan:

Use leftmost lane.

Bus Lanes: Presence

afghanistan:

japan:

Yes

Bus Lanes: Usage

afghanistan:

N/A

japan:

Reserved for buses and sometimes taxis during specific hours.

Bus Lanes: Markings

afghanistan:

N/A

japan:

Labeled with bus symbols; specific times indicated with road signs.

Cycle Lanes: Presence

afghanistan:

japan:

Yes

Cycle Lanes: Usage

afghanistan:

N/A

japan:

Shared with lanes or exclusive for bicycles.

Cycle Lanes: Markings

afghanistan:

N/A

japan:

Bicycle symbols and sometimes colored pavement.

High- Occupancy Lanes: Requirements

afghanistan:

N/A

japan:

N/A

Variable Speed Limits: Presence

afghanistan:

japan:

Yes

Variable Speed Limits: Indications

afghanistan:

N/A

japan:

Electronic signs display current limits.

Speeds Limits

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	Afghanistan	Japan
Urban Areas: Standard	25-40 km/h	40-50 km/h
Urban Areas: Residential Zones	25 km/h	30 km/h
Rural Areas: Cars And Motorcycles	80-100 km/h	60 km/h
Rural Areas: Buses And Vans	80-100 km/h	60 km/h
Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers	60-80 km/h	60 km/h
Highways: Cars And Motorcycles	100-120 km/h	80-100 km/h
Highways: Buses And Vans	100-120 km/h	80-100 km/h
Highways: Trucks And Trailers	80-100 km/h	80 km/h
Variable Speed Limits: Presence	No	Yes
Variable Speed Limits: Indications	N/A	Electronic signs display current limits
Enforcement: On-the- Spot Fines	Yes, fines can be issued instantly	Rare; fines are usually mailed after citation

Urban Areas: Standard

afghanistan:

25-40 km/h

japan:

40-50 km/h

Urban Areas: Residential Zones

afghanistan:

25 km/h

japan:

30 km/h

Rural Areas: Cars And Motorcycles

afghanistan:

80-100 km/h

japan:

60 km/h

Rural Areas: Buses And Vans

afghanistan:

80-100 km/h

japan:

60 km/h

Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers

afghanistan:

60-80 km/h

japan:

60 km/h

Highways: Cars And Motorcycles

afghanistan:

100-120 km/h

japan:

80-100 km/h

Highways: Buses And Vans

afghanistan:

100-120 km/h

japan:

80-100 km/h

Highways: Trucks And Trailers

afghanistan:

80-100 km/h

japan:

80 km/h

Variable Speed Limits: Presence

afghanistan:

japan:

Yes

Variable Speed Limits: Indications

afghanistan:

N/A

japan:

Electronic signs display current limits

Enforcement: On-the- Spot Fines

afghanistan:

Yes, fines can be issued instantly

japan:

Rare; fines are usually mailed after citation

Signals

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	Afghanistan	Japan
Traffic Lights: Red And Amber Together	Not used in Afghanistan	Not used in Japan
Traffic Signs: Language	Pashto, Dari	Japanese with some bilingual signs; symbols are standard
Traffic Signs: Warning	Standard symbols used	Diamond-shaped with yellow background

Traffic Lights: Red And Amber Together

afghanistan:

Not used in Afghanistan

japan:

Not used in Japan

Traffic Signs: Language

afghanistan:

Pashto, Dari

japan:

Japanese with some bilingual signs; symbols are standard

Traffic Signs: Warning

afghanistan:

Standard symbols used

japan:

Diamond-shaped with yellow background

Turns

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	Afghanistan		Japan
Right Turn On Red	Not usually allowed		Not allowed
U- Turns Allowed	Varies; check for signs		Varies by locality; check for signs

Right Turn On Red

afghanistan:

Not usually allowed

japan:

Not allowed

U- Turns Allowed

afghanistan:

Varies; check for signs

japan:

Varies by locality; check for signs

Documentation

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	Afghanistan	Japan
Driver's License: Foreign: E U/ E E A	International Driving Permit recommended	International Driving Permit required along with national license
Driver's License: Foreign: Non- E U	International Driving Permit recommended	International Driving Permit required along with national license
Vehicle Inspection: Requirement	Annual vehicle inspection required	Mandatory; proof required
Vehicle Inspection: Sticker	Displayed on windshield	Displayed on license plate
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles	Not mandatory	Recommended

Driver's License: Foreign: E U/ E E A

afghanistan:

International Driving Permit recommended

japan:

International Driving Permit required along with national license

Driver's License: Foreign: Non- E U

afghanistan:

International Driving Permit recommended

japan:

International Driving Permit required along with national license

Vehicle Inspection: Requirement

afghanistan:

Annual vehicle inspection required

japan:

Mandatory; proof required

Vehicle Inspection: Sticker

afghanistan:

Displayed on windshield

japan:

Displayed on license plate

Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles

afghanistan:

Not mandatory

japan:

Recommended

Road Etiquette

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	Afghanistan	Japan
Flashing Lights: Usage	To warn of hazards or signal intention to overtake	To warn of hazards
Use Of Horn: Cultural Norm	Frequent use compared to some countries	Generally used sparingly
Emergency Vehicles: Protocol	Pull over to the right and stop if necessary	Pull over to the left and stop if necessary

Flashing Lights: Usage

afghanistan:

To warn of hazards or signal intention to overtake

japan:

To warn of hazards

Use Of Horn: Cultural Norm

afghanistan:

Frequent use compared to some countries

japan:

Generally used sparingly

Emergency Vehicles: Protocol

afghanistan:

Pull over to the right and stop if necessary

japan:

Pull over to the left and stop if necessary

Alcohol

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	Afghanistan	Japan
Limits: General Drivers	0.00%	0.03%
Limits: Underage Drivers	0.00%	Prohibited; zero tolerance
Enforcement: Random Checks	Less common; checkpoints used in some areas	Common; checkpoints may be set up
Enforcement: Fines	Varies by region; can be substantial	Substantial; can lead to license suspension

Limits: General Drivers

afghanistan:

0.00%

japan:

0.03%

Limits: Underage Drivers

afghanistan:

0.00%

japan:

Prohibited; zero tolerance

Enforcement: Random Checks

afghanistan:

Less common; checkpoints used in some areas

japan:

Common; checkpoints may be set up

Enforcement: Fines

afghanistan:

Varies by region; can be substantial

japan:

Substantial; can lead to license suspension

Emergency Services

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	Afghanistan	Japan
Contact: General Emergency	112	119
Contact: Traffic Police	Dial local police station	110
Contact: Roadside Assistance	Check with your insurance provider; limited services	Check with your insurance provider or JAF
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles	Not mandatory, but recommended	Recommended
Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest	Not mandatory, but recommended	Recommended

Contact: General Emergency

afghanistan:

112

japan:

119

Contact: Traffic Police

afghanistan:

Dial local police station

japan:

110

Contact: Roadside Assistance

afghanistan:

Check with your insurance provider; limited services

japan:

Check with your insurance provider or JAF

Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles

afghanistan:

Not mandatory, but recommended

japan:

Recommended

Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest

afghanistan:

Not mandatory, but recommended

japan:

Recommended

Penalties And Fines

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	Afghanistan	Japan
Common Fines: Speeding	Varies; 500 AFN and above	Varies; substantial fines, points on license
Common Fines: Alcohol	Substantial fines, possible jail time	Severe fines, possible jail time
Common Fines: Seat Belts	Fines apply for not wearing seat belts	Fines; enforceable
Common Fines: Phone Use	Fines apply for use while driving	Severe fines, points on license
Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation	Fines apply, point system not common	Fines, points on license
Payment: On The Spot	Yes; fines may be paid instantly	Rare; fines usually paid later
Payment: Deadline	Varies; typically within a few days	Varies; typically within 30 days

Common Fines: Speeding

afghanistan:

Varies; 500 AFN and above

japan:

Varies; substantial fines, points on license

Common Fines: Alcohol

afghanistan:

Substantial fines, possible jail time

japan:

Severe fines, possible jail time

Common Fines: Seat Belts

afghanistan:

Fines apply for not wearing seat belts

japan:

Fines; enforceable

Common Fines: Phone Use

afghanistan:

Fines apply for use while driving

japan:

Severe fines, points on license

Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation

afghanistan:

Fines apply, point system not common

japan:

Fines, points on license

Payment: On The Spot

afghanistan:

Yes; fines may be paid instantly

japan:

Rare; fines usually paid later

Payment: Deadline

afghanistan:

Varies; typically within a few days

japan:

Varies; typically within 30 days