The Local Culture of Traffic Safety:

An Analysis of the Installation Conditions of “Tobidashi-Boya”

Abstract

“Tobidashi-boya” (jumping out boy) is a signboard with a picture of a child to prompt drivers to be aware of areas where children rush out into the street. There are many tobidashi-boya set up in Shiga Prefecture. These signboards are installed voluntarily in residential areas by local residents from neighborhood councils and PTAs, and also installed by local traffic safety associations when requested by local residents. This enables drivers to know which locations are considered dangerous by the local residents. In this study, the current installation conditions of “tobidashi-boya” in four elementary school districts in Kusatsu City and Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture are surveyed, and the characteristics of these installation conditions are analyzed.