"Cyclists Required to Make Effort to Wear Helmet Starting April"

"Cyclists Required to Make Effort to Wear Helmet Starting April"

♪
 
Welcome to "Learn Japanese from the News."
　
Join us as we learn Japanese and about the country through Japanese news stories.
Today's headline is…
　
♪
　
自転車（じてんしゃ）のヘルメット　4月（がつ）からできるだけかぶるようにする
　
"Cyclists Required to Make Effort to Wear Helmet Starting April"
This news story was published on NEWS WEB EASY's website on March 1st.
　
Now let's go over some vocab words that will help us understand what's going on.
　
ヘルメット
helmet
　
できるだけ
"as much as one can" or "as much as possible"
　
小（ちい）さい子（こ）ども
small child
　
Let's keep these words in mind as we listen.
　
「自転車（じてんしゃ）の事故（じこ）が増（ふ）えています。このため法律（ほうりつ）が変（か）わって、自転車（じてんしゃ）に乗（の）る人（ひと）はみんな、4月（がつ）1日（ついたち）からできるだけヘルメットをかぶるようにすることになりました。
東京都（とうきょうと）渋谷区（しぶやく）にある自転車（じてんしゃ）の店（みせ）は、いろいろなヘルメットを用意（ようい）していて、たくさん売（う）れています。
しかし、店（みせ）に来（く）る人（ひと）の中（なか）には、大人（おとな）もヘルメットをかぶることを知（し）らない人（ひと）がいます。小（ちい）さい子（こ）どもを乗（の）せて出（で）かけるために自転車（じてんしゃ）を買（か）ったお母（かあ）さんは、自分（じぶん）のヘルメットは買（か）いませんでした。
店（みせ）は、ポスターを貼（は）ったり客（きゃく）に説明（せつめい）したりして、みんながヘルメットをかぶるようにしていきたいと話（はな）しています。」
　
In an effort to reduce bicycle accidents and injuries, cyclists of all ages will be required to make an effort to wear a helmet starting April.
　
♪
　
Now we'll break down a few sentences from the story that contain helpful expressions and keywords. Let's start with the following sentence:
　
法律（ほうりつ）が変（か）わって、自転車（じてんしゃ）に乗（の）る人（ひと）はみんな、4月（がつ）1日（ついたち）からできるだけヘルメットをかぶるようにすることになりました。
　
"The law has been revised, and all cyclists must make an effort to wear a helmet starting April 1st."
　
ヘルメット is derived from the English word "helmet." It's a type of headgear worn to prevent injuries to the head, for example while playing certain sports or riding a motorcycle.
　
Now let's look at the phrase できるだけヘルメットをかぶる. できるだけ means "as much as one can" or "as much as possible."
　
In our story today, できるだけ is used to say that cyclists should "endeavor" to wear a helmet. Instead of giving a direct command, using this phrasing is an indirect way to let someone know that you expect them to make an effort. For example, if you say to someone できるだけ早（はや）く返事（へんじ）をください, you're saying you expect a reply ASAP.
　
In other words, wearing a helmet will not be compulsory. That means no fines or penalties will be imposed on those who don't wear a helmet. That being said, this revision to the law places more responsibility on cyclists. So if you were to get into an accident, you could be at a legal disadvantage.
　
OK, let's move on to our next sentence.
小（ちい）さい子（こ）どもを乗（の）せて出（で）かけるために自転車（じてんしゃ）を買（か）ったお母（かあ）さんは、自分（じぶん）のヘルメットは買（か）いませんでした。
　
"One mother who bought a bicycle to take her small child out for a ride did not buy a helmet for herself."
　
Today's news story is from March, so at the time it was published, this mother didn't have to wear a bicycle helmet. But now she's required to make an effort to wear one herself.
　
The phrase 小（ちい）さい子（こ）ども describes a small child. Although there's no precise definition, it usually refers to a child between infancy and school age, so age 5 or younger.
　
In Japanese the words 小（ちい）さい, or "small," and 大（おお）きい, or "big," are generally used to describe size. But they can also indicate a child's age. So a very young child is 小（ちい）さい, while a child who is older can be described as 大（おお）きい.
　
And that's all for today.
　
It's the perfect time of year for a bike ride. Remember to wear a helmet, and stay safe out there!
　
Be sure to tune in next time for more!
　
♪