Ch. 5 · Driving Method

On a road without a sidewalk or roadside strip, you may drive onto the road shoulder (the 0.5-meter portion from the edge of the road).

[True / False · Medium]

Answer: ✕ False

Explanation

Rules of the Road, Chapter 5, Section 2, Item 7(4) clearly prohibits this: "When driving on a road without a sidewalk or roadside strip, you must not drive onto the road shoulder (the 0.5-meter portion from the edge of the road)."

Driving school curriculumStage 1 – Topic 4: Where vehicles may and may not travel

Hikari

Oh, so if there's no sidewalk, I can use that half-meter shoulder to get around tight spots, right?

Misaki

Actually, that's false. On roads without sidewalks or roadside strips, you're prohibited from driving on the road shoulder — that half-meter strip belongs to pedestrians.

Hikari

Wait, so I can't even nudge over a little when things get tight?

Misaki

Correct. That space is protected for pedestrian safety. Keep your wheels off it entirely.

Source: Ch. 5 Driving Method · Section (第２節自動車の通行するところ) · 7 通行してはいけないところ - (4)

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Source content excerpted from the NPA “Rules of the Road” instructional manual, in the public domain under Japanese Copyright Act Article 13(2). Explanations are AI-assisted and copyrighted by the MenkyoQuest editorial team.