In the Japanese points system, each driver is given points every time they breach traffic rules by acts such as ignoring a traffic light, speeding and parking violations, as well as when they cause a traffic accident. When the points accumulated in three years exceed a certain level, the driver has his/her driver’s license cancelled or suspended. (When no administrative treatment has been imposed on the driver in the past three years, six to 14 points make the driver subject to the suspension of the validity of his/her driver’s license, while 15 points or more makes the driver subject to the cancellation of his/her license.) In particular, hit-and-run, drink-driving (driving under the influence of alcohol) and driving without a license are considered to be serious offenses that result in heavy administrative treatments.

A driver who has committed comparatively minor traffic rule offenses (fouls), he/she is given a blue slip (notification for traffic rule fouls) and a provisional payment notice from a police officer at the site of the act. The driver can complete the necessary procedure when he/she pays the penalty fee using the payment notice at a post office or bank before the payment period expires (within eight days including the day of committing the foul) (of course a certain amount of points is added to the driver’s record). The list below shows points