Winter Driving – Drive Safely in Ice and Snow
SlipperyCompacted-snow roads are roads on which snow has
fallen and then been pressed down and compacted by
the movement of vehicles. Icy roads (Eisbahn) arethose that are covered with thin ice formed by therefreezing of snow that fell and then melted on theroads, and these are especially slippery. Winter roads
are very dangerous, because once a car skids, it ishard to control it.

Dry pavement

Approx. 10 m

Compactedsnow road

Results ofa full-braking test
at 50 km/h

Approx. 35 m

Frozen roads(Eisbahn)

Approx. 112 m(Extracted from the Web site by the Hokkaido Government’s Department ofEnvironment and Lifestyle, Safe Living Environment Promotion Division)

Don’t be tricked by black icy roads (Eisbahn)Black Eisbahn is the worst type of icy roads. The road is covered with refrozen melted snow after rain. They looka little like wet roads, however, they are the slipperiest roads. Be very careful on black shiny roads in winter!

Rental car users who intend to drive on

Quick winter roads for the first time should
ask for a car equipped with ABS* whenTip

It’s impossible to see
Strong snowstorms can obstruct
your view forward and snow being
blown up from the road may also
lead to low visibility. In addition, yourrange of vision may be reduced suddenly due to powdery
snow blown up by oncoming trucks. Drivers just have toslow down in such situations.

Getting stuck
If you drive into deep snow, you
may not be able to get your carout. As far as is possible, findcleared roads or drive along
wheel tracks left by other cars.

they make their reservation.

*ABS This Anti-lock Brake Systemallows drivers to maintain steering
control and avoid an accident evenunder heavy braking. However, it canalso present disadvantages including
increased braking distance on slippery
surfaces, such as on ice, or smoothroads. ABS should not be solely relied
upon .

Quick Are brakes broken?
Tip

Things you must not do“Sudden braking,” “Sudden acceleration,” “Abrupt steering”
Your wheels will lock up (continue to slide without your tiresmoving) if you brake suddenly and your car get out of control
so avoid this.

Drivers, who use ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) for the firsttime, may be surprised with how they function. Whenwheels lock (continue to slide without your tires moving)on frozen roads, a loud sound can be
Gaaaar!
heard at the moment of braking. Thisis the noise cased by the actuation of
the device to control the brakes
automatically. Drivers need not easeup on the brakes in a hurry.

Three key points to driving in winterDrive slowly

Keep a safe distance between cars.

Understand the traffic conditions ahead

The basic point is not toincrease your speed. Driving
slowly will give you time to
avoid danger should the needarise.

Keeping a safe distance between
you and the car ahead gives you
enough time to react and copewith emergency situations.

Many winter traffic accidents are caused bya delay in drivers understanding traffic
conditions ahead. Pay attention to thebrake lamps of the front two cars as well as
trafficconditions
ahead.

eIs e

Learn how to use the engine to brakeCars accelerate automatically on down grades. In such cases, drivers should use not brakes but theengine to brake to control the speed. Using the engine to control speed is achieved by utilizing thepower of the gears and changing the mode of the automatic transmission from D (drive) to S (or 3or 2 according to models). Be sure to change the gear slowly while slowing the car down.

Knowledge about winter driving

Caution!

Please read the following information carefully before driving. 1

Be careful on snowy roads

Tips about winter driving
M e m o1 Windshield wipers are frozen and they don’t work
Wet wipers will get stuck to the windshield when frozen. You can avoid
this by lifting the wiper arms off the windshield and leaving them like thatovernight.

2 It is bright on sunny days
It is very dazzling when the sun reflects off the snow in winter. It is agood idea to carry sunglasses to combat the glare.

of snow come crashing down
3 Clumps
onto the car roof

2
Knowledge about winter driving

Traffic rules and quick tips

Before driving be sure to remove any snow that has accumulated on thecar roof. Otherwise clumps of snow may slide down the windshield
without warning while driving and may block your view.

4 How slippery is it?
If you test your brakes while driving at a low speed and where you know
it is safe to do so, you will learn how slippery the road is that day. Don'tever do this when there are cars in front of or behind you.

5 Melted snow from the car in front is showering your car
There are times when melted snow off the car in front or splashed up byoncoming vehicles covers your windshield and reduces visibility. Be
sure to maintain a sufficient amount of windshield washer fluid in yourcar at all times. A winter formula that provides anti-freeze protection canbe purchased at auto supply shops and home centers.

6 Everywhere is white and I cannot tellwhere the road is
In blizzard conditions, you cannot see what is ahead. Blowing snowcaused by strong winds may reduce visibility. Drifting snow blown up byoncoming trucks will also obstruct your view for a moment. In thesesituations, remember to reduce your speed and drive slowly.

Stay home when the weather is badࠉIn winter, weather conditions can change suddenly in some areas. Also, some areas do not have reception for cellphones. If you are stranded in one of these places you will be unable to call for help and will freeze in the extreme
cold. It could take hours before the rescue party arrives and your life will be at risk. If bad weather is forecast therefore, do not go out even if this means you have to change your plans.

సᡂ㸸໭ᾏ㐨እᅜேほගᐈࢻࣛ࢖ࣈほගಁ㐍㐃⤡༠㆟఍ࠉࠉࠉ㸦ᵓᡂᶵ㛵㸧ࠉࠉࠉࠉࠉࠉᅜᅵ஺㏻┬໭ᾏ㐨㛤Ⓨᒁࠊᅜᅵ஺㏻┬໭ᾏ㐨㐠㍺ᒁࠊ໭ᾏ㐨ࠊࠉࠉࠉࠉࠉࠉ໭ᾏ㐨㆙ᐹᮏ㒊ࠊ໭ᾏ㐨⤒῭㐃ྜ఍ࠊ ♫ ໭ᾏ㐨ほග᣺⯆ᶵᵓࠊࠉࠉࠉࠉࠉࠉ໭ᾏ㐨ᆅ༊ࣞࣥࢱ࣮࢝༠఍㐃ྜ఍ࠊ᪂༓ṓ✵ ࣞࣥࢱ࣮࢝㐃⤡༠㆟఍ࠊࠉࠉࠉࠉࠉࠉ໭ᾏ㐨✵ ᰴ ࠊ ♫ ᪥ᮏ⮬ື㌴㐃┕໭ᾏ㐨ᮏ㒊ࠊࠉࠉࠉࠉࠉࠉᮾ᪥ᮏ㧗㏿㐨㊰ ᰴ ໭ᾏ㐨ᨭ♫ࠊ ♫ ࢩ࣮ࢽࢵࢡࣂ࢖࢙࢘࢖ᨭ᥼ࢭࣥࢱ࣮