You can not turn off the traction control in a Prius! This has been life threatening multiple times. I live in Anchorage, Alaska. We have a winter here, this has proven to be a problem with traction control that shuts off all power to the wheels while driving. I have driven through many intersections and because the road is slick, the car stops moving! Really, the car will stop all power to the wheels and the put a minimal amount back for 1 second and then turn off again. This process is repeated until about 30 seconds to 5 minutes later when I can get going again. I have been afraid for my life too many times. I am not happy that Toyota doesn't let you turn off the traction control at all! From what I understand the drivetrain is to delicate to handle unpredictable traction gains. Really?