If an Accident Occurs

There are an increasing number of minor accidents and more serious accidents on expressways in which the driver and passengers in a vehicle forced to stop because of a breakdown are hit by a vehicle from behind. Expressways are not the same as regular roads or streets.

Make sure that you take the following precautions in case an accident occurs!

If you are in a stopped vehicle

A minimum amount of caution and action can make the difference between life and death. Take a moment now to double-check your preparedness!

1. Never walk on the expressway

If an accident forces you to stop your car, do not walk in the lanes or on the shoulder of the expressway. An expressway is not a regular road or street!
Never behave as you would on a normal road. Immediately move your vehicle to the shoulder. If you cannot move your vehicle, give the following items priority.

2. Signal to approaching vehicles

Drivers in approaching vehicles may not realize that a vehicle ahead of them has stopped.
Take the following safety measures to warn approaching vehicles.

• Turn on your hazard lights
• Ignite flares
• Set up ‘stopped vehicle’ warning signs and equipment

3. Evacuate to a safe area

After making sure that the traffic lanes are safe, the driver and all passengers should move to a safe area, such as outside the guard rail, and wait for assistance. It is not safe to wait inside the vehicle.

4. Notification after evacuation

Dial 110 or use an emergency telephone to report!
Emergency telephones are installed every kilometer along main routes and every 200m inside tunnels.

Always keep the following items in your vehicle

Be prepared for a roadside emergency by always keeping emergency stop equipment such as a warning triangle and flares.
Flares are usually stored underneath the front passenger seat. In case of a roadside emergency, pick up a flare and do the following:

Precautions for all drivers

When driving, be sure to always observe the following points and drive safely.

1. Anticipate hazards

When you encounter a stopped vehicle, remember that there may be people nearby or out of view.
Always assume that someone might appear at any time and be prepared for danger.

2. Pay attention to information

Sources such as expressway traffic information signs and highway radio provide information about expressway emergencies. Pay attention to "accident ahead", "vehicle breakdown", and other emergency information and drive carefully.

3. Look out for the tail end of traffic jams! Slow down early.

Traffic jams often occur during the vacation season and at other busy times of the year. If you encounter a traffic jam, brake early, and turn on your hazard lights to alert the drivers behind you.

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