Hirokazu Ibata promotes bicycle safety as one-day police chief

Hirokazu Ibata, former manager of the Samurai Japan national baseball team, served as a one-day police chief at the Hino Police Station in Tokyo to promote bicycle traffic safety.

Ibata participated in a talk event and traffic rule quizzes, highlighting the recent introduction of the ‘blue ticket’ system for bicycle violations. He emphasized the importance of wearing helmets, noting that approximately 60% of fatalities in bicycle accidents involve fatal head injuries. Drawing a parallel to his professional baseball career, Ibata stated that wearing a helmet to protect the head is similar to using one in baseball.

During the event, Ibata referenced his high career fielding percentage to encourage residents to strive for zero traffic accidents, expressing hope that Hino City can achieve a perfect safety record.