| Hokkaido, the northernmost prefecture of Japan, lies in the subarctic zone.
For approximately the four-month period of late November to mid-March, the weather is cold
and snowy, and the daily mean temperature is below freezing. In 1992, the law regulating
studded tires was enacted to prevent air dust pollution generated. Since 1992, when the
studded-tire-equipping rate fell to almost 0%, the skid resistance of road surfaces has fallen
markedly and slippery road surfaces have emerged. Winter-specific accidents increased
accordingly. We analyzed the characteristics of traffic accidents in Hokkaido and compared
these with other regions of Japan. It was found that Hokkaido has more traffic fatalities per
traffic accident and more fatal single- and multi-vehicle collisions in rural areas. The results
also revealed that many winter-specific accidents occur in December, early winter.
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