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Accidents, breakdowns and disasters: what a truck driver must do

Chapter 2 of the textbook (operations) teaches what to do when something goes wrong: an accident, a breakdown, a late delivery, bad weather or an earthquake. The exam likes to ask the order of actions and a few numbers such as the life of a flare. This page sums it up in plain words.

Last updated: 2026-10-12

At a glance

5steps after an accident, in order
4 yearslife of an emergency flare (発炎筒)
10 yearslife of a fire extinguisher
1 kmbetween expressway emergency phones (200 m in tunnels)

1. After an accident: 5 steps in order

Help the injured. Even after a small accident, stop at once and check for injured people and damaged cargo. If someone is hurt, get help from people nearby, call 119 and give first aid until the ambulance arrives.
Prevent a follow-on crash (続発事故, ぞくはつじこ). Move the truck to the shoulder or a safe open space, turn on the hazards and warn traffic with a flare. On expressways also place the warning triangle (停止表示器材) where drivers behind can see it. "Leave the truck where the accident happened" is false.
Get to a safe place. When you are done, do not stay in the truck or on the road; go behind the guardrail. This matters even more on expressways.
Tell the police: date, time and place, the number of dead and injured and how badly, damaged property, the cargo on board, and what you did at the scene.
Tell the company about the accident and the cargo, and follow the operation manager's (運行管理者) instructions. If you cannot call, ask someone else to.

2. Don'ts and do's at the scene

No smoking or open flames, because fuel may be leaking. With dangerous goods, check for leaks; if they catch fire, use the extinguisher.
Never settle on the spot (示談, じだん). Compensation is the company's job. Even after a minor bump, and even if the other side insists, the driver firmly refuses.
A dashcam (ドラレコ) records video that can be used as evidence. Without one, note the names, addresses and contact details of witnesses, and photograph or note the impact point, where the vehicles stopped and the damage.

3. When the truck breaks down

Ordinary roads

Turn on the hazards to warn traffic behind, then slow down. If the brakes do not slow you, shift down repeatedly and use engine and exhaust brakes. Do not switch off the engine until the truck has stopped; all the electrics would cut out, which is dangerous. Stop on the shoulder or somewhere out of the way and set the parking brake.

Expressways

Turn on the hazards and try to reach a service area (SA) or parking area (PA). If you cannot, slow down gently without hard braking, stop on the shoulder or in an emergency bay, set out the flare and warning triangle, then call on an emergency phone or the road emergency number #9910. Emergency phones are every 1 km (every 200 m in tunnels); give the problem and the nearest kilometre post (キロポスト). "Brake hard and stop in the lane at once" is false.

Afterwards

Report to the company at once and take instructions, for example to avoid roads with rail crossings or tunnels, or to go to the nearest garage. Inspect the fault only in a safe place such as a service area, not by walking around the truck on the expressway. If the truck stalls inside a rail crossing, press the emergency button or use a flare; do not just wait.

4. Running late

Delays can come from a late start, an accident, a breakdown, weather, traffic or poor health. Report to the company and take the operation manager's instructions: your name, truck number and office, the reason, the road conditions, when you can arrive, and whether there was an accident or breakdown. Do not contact the customer on your own unless that was agreed, and never speed to make up time.

5. Flares and extinguishers

Item	What to remember
Emergency signal device (非常信号用具)	Two kinds: a red torch and a flare. The truck must carry one of them
Flare (発炎筒, はつえんとう)	Valid 4 years. Twist off the outer cap, strike the cap against the body like a match, pointing the body forward
Fire extinguisher (消火器, しょうかき)	Valid 10 years. Pull the safety pin upward, hold the end of the hose towards the base of the fire, squeeze the lever hard. Holding the middle of the hose can spoil your aim

6. Abnormal weather

Heavy rain, heavy snow, strong wind and dense fog count as abnormal weather. Follow the operation manager's instructions, such as cancelling the trip. If it catches you on the road, get to a safe place, contact the company and do not decide on your own to keep driving.

Heavy rain: avoid risky roads and wait in a safe place. Avoid underpasses (アンダーパス) and underground tunnels where the truck could flood. If it floods and stops, get out and escape at once. Keep a hammer for the window and a cutter for the seat belt.
Strong wind: a truck can be blown over, especially on bridges.

7. Earthquakes

Earthquake early warning (緊急地震速報) while driving: turn on the hazards to warn others, avoid hard braking and slow down gradually.
A big earthquake while driving: no sudden steering or braking; stop on the left side of the road and listen to the radio. If you drive on, watch for road damage and traffic lights.
Leaving the truck to escape: move it off the road if you can. If it must stay on the road, park on the left, stop the engine, leave the key in, close the windows, do not lock the doors, and do not block evacuees or emergency vehicles.
If you are not driving, do not use the truck to escape, except to flee a tsunami.

When the government issues a warning declaration (警戒宣言, けいかいせんげん) while you are driving, slow down, listen to the radio and act on the information. "Take the key and lock the doors when leaving the truck on the road" is false.

Practise

Free exams 1-3 include items on settling on the spot, expressway breakdowns, emergency phones, flare life, the warning declaration and brakes that stop working. Take the 3 free exams, read the sample questions with answers and review roll call and reporting.

VIP unlocks exams 4 to 20, the full vocabulary book and the exam tips. VIP is bought inside the iOS app with Apple payment, and Apple shows the price. The App Store version is coming soon. You can try the free exams on the web now.

FAQ

What is the first thing to do after causing an accident?

Stop at once, check for injured people and help them: get help from people nearby, call 119 and give first aid. Then prevent a follow-on crash, get to safety and tell the police and the company.

Can I settle with the other driver after a minor accident?

No. Compensation is the company's job. The driver must not discuss a settlement (示談) at the scene and must refuse even if asked.

How long are a flare and an extinguisher valid?

A flare is valid for 4 years and an extinguisher for 10 years. Exam items like to swap these two numbers.

Where does the key go if I leave the truck on the road in an earthquake?

Leave the key in the truck, close the windows and do not lock the doors, so the truck can be moved if needed.

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