gPromoting The Pedestrian Safety In Cold, Snowy Regions In Winter: A Case Study Of Winter Walking Environment In Sapporo, Hokkaido

In Sapporo, one of the largest cities in the northern region of the world, the number of pedestrians carried by ambulance to the hospital in winter has been increased rapidly due to slip and fall accidents on the extremely icy slippery roads. For residents, especially for the elderly and disabled, walking under such conditions entails greater risk of serious injury; therefore, they are discouraged from going out during the long winter. On the other hand, it is said that pedestrians nowadays are wearing shoes and apparel less suitable for conditions of cold and snow, in response to the physical improvements; over the past few decades, the City of Sapporo has made urban infrastructure more resistant to cold and snow. In light of this, the city would exhaust its resources if it were obliged to eradicate snow and ice from the city so that people could enjoy a snow-and-ice-free environment like that in summer. In order to meet the needs of residents without excessive physical improvements, and to develop the alternative measures taken by not only the city but also any group or individual to prevent slip and fall accidents in winter through their own efforts, it is essential to understand the nature of extremely icy slippery roads and where slip and fall accidents often take place