On the 14th, due to the strong cold, heavy snowfall warnings were issued in some places, and the first snowfall was also seen in Kyushu. In the midst of this, traffic troubles caused by snow are occurring one after another. What are the unexpected pitfalls that even local drivers who are supposed to be used to snow can fall into? (Saturday Station aired on December 14th) ■ Linear snowfall bands appear Heavy snowfall warnings also appear Kyushu's first snow Saturday Station visited northern Nagano Prefecture, where a heavy snowfall warning was issued. Report by Director Hayato Koyama: "It's the sidewalk, but the snow has piled up to my knees. Cars are hidden by the snow and I can't see them." In Shinano Town, Nagano Prefecture, the amount of snowfall in six hours was 30 centimeters, the highest in the country. Restaurant employee: "It's a problem. We should save as much as possible. There's nothing better than using snowplows quickly and efficiently." Nagano Prefecture has the highest gasoline prices in the country. In addition to the recent high fuel prices, heavy snowfall is said to be putting a strain on people's lives. In Nagano City, the amount of snowfall is four times higher than average. The heavy snowfall was brought about by a strong cold front that flowed into the Japanese archipelago. A linear snow belt was formed by the JPCZ. Large amounts of snow clouds also flowed into Western Japan. The San'in region also experienced the most snowfall this winter. In Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, snow began falling before dawn, and by 2 a.m. the world was covered in snow. On the 14th, the atmospheric conditions were unstable in many places, and 145 locations, including Hokkaido and Western Japan, experienced the coldest weather of the season. ■Slip accidents During this time of year, when towing requests are on the rise, many tourists who come by car are drivers who are not accustomed to snowy roads, and there are many cases where they get into unexpected trouble. A company that provides road service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, received a call requesting rescue from a slip accident involving three vehicles that were unable to move. Kazuya Ozaki, president of Ozaki Towing Service: "Did you hit the right rear after hitting the wall?" Driver who requested assistance: "There was a car that had hit here and was stopped there. I started to skid and crashed into the right rear." Soon after, another accident was reported... Q. What happened next? "It was about to fall off the cliff." When we arrived at the scene, the car had knocked down the fence and was stopped at an angle on the shoulder of the road. The driver said that he was a local resident and was used to winter roads, and was driving at about 30 kilometers per hour... Driver of the accident car: "It felt like I was on ice. The steering wheel wouldn't work. No matter how I moved it, it just kept going in that direction. I stepped on the brakes, but they didn't work at all. It just kept slipping." The car was equipped with studless tires. Meanwhile, there have been slip accidents involving multiple cars with normal tires around Kusatsu. On the 14th, there was a group of tourists visiting with normal tires. A foreign tourist who came with normal tires said, "It was a bit dangerous. I drove slowly." The morning's lowest temperature was minus 4.6 degrees Celsius. It remained below freezing throughout the day. ■ Close-up on truck transportation's "trouble on snowy roads" Another worry on snowy roads is getting your car stuck. Aoyama-san is a truck driver who transports food and other products. He has been with the company for 12 years. Joetsu Transportation Joetsu Branch Aoyama Daiki: "I still can't get used to snowy roads." From Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture to the border with Nagano Prefecture. The scenery changes completely when you go one block deeper. The key to driving on unplowed roads is... Joetsu Transportation Joetsu Branch Aoyama Daiki: "When it's like today, it's good to follow the "ruts" that your tires and other cars have passed." An hour after leaving the office. We have studded tires, but we decided that it would be better to put chains on the roads because there are more unplowed roads ahead. Joetsu Transportation Joetsu Branch, Daiki Aoyama: "It prevents people from being unable to climb uphill and from getting into traffic jams. It also improves delivery efficiency, so it's necessary for that." ■ Accident even with studless tires: Ambulance slips on snowy road, patient dies Don't be overconfident that you'll be safe on snowy roads if you have studless tires. On the 11th, in Abashiri, Hokkaido, an ambulance slipped while transporting a man (in his 80s) who was in cardiac arrest. The scene was downhill, and it was said that the snow had piled up like slush on top of the icy road. The vehicle was on studless tires, but while driving at 60 km/h, it slipped 80 meters. The man arrived at the hospital about 8 minutes late, and was later confirmed dead. There is a video of an experiment by JAF to see what kind of tires are effective on icy roads. When suddenly braking from a speed of 40 km/h with studless tires, it took about 80 meters to stop. However, tires equipped with chains were able to stop in a shorter distance than studless tires. On the other hand, on snowy roads that were not icy, studless tires were able to stop in the shortest distance, so it is important to note that the distance it takes to stop varies depending on the road conditions and the type of tire. [TV Asahi News] https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp