Safe & Responsible Driving

G1 PART 1

**Requirements for driving in Ontario**

* Residents of Ontario must be 16 or older & have a valid license
* Visitors of Ontario must be 16 or older & have a valid license from their province, state or country
* New residents of Ontario can use their valid license from their old location for up to 60 days after the move

Class A Driver’s License

* Allowed to drive any tractor–trailer combination
* May also drive in class D and G

Class B Driver’s License

* Allowed to drive any school purposes bus
* May also drive in class C, D, E, F and G

Class C Driver’s License

* Allowed to drive any regular bus
* May also drive vehicles in class D, F and G

Class D Driver’s License

* A motor vehicle exceeding 11,000 kilograms gross weight or registered gross weight or any truck or combination provided the towed vehicle is not over 4,600 kilograms
* May also drive in class G

Class E Driver’s License

* Allowed to drive any school purposes bus - maximum of 24-passenger capacity
* May also drive in class F and G

Class F Driver’s License

* Allowed to drive any regular bus - maximum of 24-passenger capacity - and ambulances
* May also drive in class G

Class G Driver’s License

* Allowed to drive any car, van or small truck or combination of vehicle and towed vehicle up to 11,000 kilograms provided the vehicle towed is not over 4,600 kilograms

Class G1

Level One of graduated licensing. Holders may drive Class G vehicles with an accompanying fully licensed driver with at least four years driving experience. Subject to certain conditions.

Class G2

Level Two of graduated licensing. Holders may drive Class G vehicles without accompanying driver but are subject to certain conditions.

Level 1 (Class G1) Rules

* blood-alcohol level must be 0
* driver with a valid class G, 4 years of experience & a blood-alcohol level of 0.05% must sit in the front passenger seat (this is the only person who can be in the front seat with you while you drive)
* must not drive on 400-series highways with a posted speed limit over 80 km/h
* must not drive on certain high-speed roads including the Queen Elizabeth Way, Don Valley Parkway and the Gardiner Expressway in the GTA, the E.C. Row Expressway in Windsor and the Conestoga Parkway in Kitchener-Waterloo (if your accompanying driver is a driving instructor, you may drive on any road)
* must not drive between midnight and 5 a.m.

Traffic laws are made by…

federal, provincial and municipal governments, and police from each level can enforce them

If you break a traffic law, you may be…

fined, sent to jail or lose your driver’s license

If you get caught driving while your license is suspended…

you vehicle could be impounded

Courteous driving

giving other drivers space to change lanes, not cutting them off and signalling your turns and lane changes properly

Defensive/strategic driving

* ability to see dangerous situations before they happen and to respond quickly and effectively to prevent them
* based on visibility, space & communication

Be mentally & physically alert

* don't drive when sick or injured
* don’t drive when you have been drinking alcohol or taking any drug/medication that may reduce your ability to drive
* don't drive when you are tired--fatigue slows down you thinking & you miss seeing things
* don't drive when you are upset or angry

Know your vehicle

* know where all controls & instruments are + what they do
* check that all warning lights & gauges work--watch for a warning light that stays on after you drive away; it could mean a serious problem with your vehicle
* get to know the controls well enough to turn on wipers & washers, headlights, high beams, heater and defroster without having to look--learning to use these essential controls without taking your eyes off the road is an important part of driving

Get into position

* should sit high enough in the driver’s seat to see over the steering wheel and hood & see the ground 4 metres in front of the vehicle
* sit straight upright in the seat with elbows slightly bent
* adjust seat so that feet reach the pedals easily--place feet flat on the floor under the brake pedal. If you can do this without stretching, you are seated properly
* back of your head should be directly in front of the middle of the headrest to protect in a collision
* have enough room in the front seat to drive properly and safely

Blind spots

* the area on each side of your vehicle where you cannot see
* may not see people or cyclists when they are in these spots--on some vehicles the blind spot is so large that a vehicle could be there and you would not see it
* in most vehicles are to the back left and back right of the vehicle

Find blind spots

* adjust mirrors so that there are as few blind spots as possible
* you should be able to see directly behind the car when the interior mirror is properly adjusted
* avoid overlap in what you can see in your mirrors

Seatbelts

* drivers who do not buckle up can be fined & will be given two demerit points
* may also be fined & receive demerit points if they fail to ensure that all passengers under 16 years of age are properly buckled in a seatbelt, child car seat or booster seat
* drivers who do not ensure there is a working seatbelt for every passenger can lose their license for at least 30 days
* the safest place a passenger can travel is inside a vehicle, properly buckled in--not safe to travel outside a vehicle, such as in the back of a pickup truck, or in a trailer that is being towed

Headlights

* required to be turned on between one-half hour before sunset & one-half hour after sunrise, + any other time of poor light conditions (fog, snow, rain) which keeps you from clearly seeing people or vehicles less than 150 metres away
* vehicle’s headlights must shine a white light that can be seen at least 150 metres in front and is strong enough to light up objects 110 metres away


* must also have red rear lights that can be seen 150 metres away and a white light lighting the rear license plate when headlights are on

High-beam headlights

* to enhance vision further down the roadway
* switch to low beams within 150 metres of an oncoming vehicle

Low-beam headlights

* used when you are near other vehicles to minimize the glare of your headlights onto others
* use when you are less than 60 metres behind another vehicle unless you are passing it

Daytime lights

* not to be used as headlights during poor lighting conditions--provide an inappropriate form of light that may cast glare onto others or deactivate other required light systems, such as tail lights
* only to be used during good light conditions to enhance the visibility of your vehicle
* if vehicle is not equipped with daytime running lights, you should turn your headlights on to provide similar visual enhancement

**Steer smoothly**

* place your hands at nine o'clock and three o'clock
* should do most steering and lane changes without taking either hand off the wheel
* must be able to steer in a straight line while shifting gears, adjusting controls or checking your blind spot

Turn signals

* Signals tell other drivers what you want to do, alerting them to your intention to turn or stop
* Use turn signals & brake lights to signal before stopping, slowing down, turning, changing lanes, leaving the road or moving out from a parked position
* if turn signals & brake lights are not working, use hand and arm signals

Keep to the right of the road or in the right-hand lane on multi-lane roads unless…

you want to turn left or pass another vehicle--especially important if you are driving more slowly than other vehicles

Where there are no posted speed limits…

the maximum speed is 50 km/h in cities, towns and villages, & 80 km/h elsewhere

Circumstances in which cruise control should not be used:

adverse driving conditions (wet, icy or slippery roads), in heavy traffic or when you are feeling fatigued

Speed measuring warning devices are…

Speed measuring warning devices are illegal.

If you get caught driving with such a device, you will be fined and accumulate demerit points.

Maintain a safe following distance of…

at least two seconds behind the vehicle in front of you. This lets you see around the vehicle ahead and gives you enough distance to stop suddenly.

Do not pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk because…

a stopped vehicle may be a clue that a pedestrian is crossing

**Community safety zones**

areas where the community has identified that there is a special risk to pedestrians--indicated by signs

Drivers of hybrid or electric vehicles should be aware that vision-impaired people often rely on…

the sound of an engine before entering an intersection. When you are slowing or stopping, your vehicle makes little or no discernible noise, so extra caution is required.

Cyclists are not required to ride close to the right edge of the road when…

they are travelling at or faster than the normal speed of traffic at that time and place, or when they are turning left, or getting in position to turn left.

When passing a cyclist, drivers of motor vehicles must maintain a minimum distance of…

* 1 metre
* failure to do so may result in a fine and an additional 2 demerit points on the driver’s record

Bike lanes

* reserved for cyclists
* typically marked by a solid white line
* sometimes you will need to enter or cross a bike lane to turn right at a corner or driveway--enter the bike lane only after ensuring that you can do so safely, and then make the turn

Bike boxes

* typically a painted box on the road with a white bicycle symbol inside
* help prevent collisions between motorists and bicycles at intersections
* as a driver, you must stop for a traffic signal behind the bike box--do not stop in the box

Sharrows

* two chevrons painted above a bicycle symbol on the road; indicates the lane is shared
* vehicle or bicycle traffic may be in the lane

Large commercial vehicles have big blind spots on…

* both sides & directly behind--avoid tailgating
* if you can't see the driver’s face in the large vehicle’s side-view mirror, the driver cannot see you

When **sharing the road with large commercial vehicles, watch out for…**

blind spots, stopping distance, wide turns, rolling back, spray & turbulence

Types of bus bays:

* Mid-block indented bays
* Indentations immediately before and after intersections
* Bus-stop areas between two designated parking areas

Most tractors and combines have a maximum speed of…

* 40 km/h
* travel at less than 40 km/h when towing implements or wagons

When you see a school bus with its overhead amber lights flashing:

* These signals indicate that the bus is coming to a stop to pick up or drop off passengers
* Slow down and prepare to stop whether you are behind or approaching the bus
* If you are on a road with a median strip, only vehicles approach from the rear of the bus should prepare to stop

When you see a school bus with its overhead red lights flashing or its stop arm activated:

* You must stop whether you are behind or approaching the bus
* If you are on a roadway with a median strip, only vehicles approaching from the rear of the bus must stop
* If you are approaching from the rear of the vehicle, stop at least 20 meters away
* Do not proceed on your route until the bus moves, the overhead red lights have stopped flashing and its stop arm is no longer activated

Controlled intersections

have traffic lights, yield signs or stop signs to control traffic

Yellow light at a controlled intersection

if you are already so close that you cannot stop safely, drive through the intersection with caution

Uncontrolled intersection

* have no signs or traffic lights
* usually found in areas where there is not much traffic. Be extra careful around these intersections
* if 2 vehicles come to an uncontrolled intersection from different roads at the same time, the driver on the left must let the driver on the right go first

At an intersection without signs or lights, you must yield the right-of-way to…

* a vehicle approaching the intersection before you


* if you arrive at the same time, the vehicle approaching from the right has the right-of-way

At an intersection with stop signs at all corners, you must yield the right-of-way to…

* the first vehicle to come to a complete stop
* if two vehicles stop at the same time, the vehicle on the left must yield to the vehicle on the right

When entering a road from a private road or driveway, you must yield to…

vehicles on the road & pedestrians on the sidewalk

If there is no stop line…

* stop at the crosswalk
* if no crosswalk, stop at the edge of the sidewalk
* if no sidewalk, stop at the edge of the intersection

All railway crossings on public roads in Ontario are marked with…

large red & white “X” signs

If a train is coming, stop at least…

5 metres from the nearest rail/gate

While crossing tracks, avoid…

shifting gears

Drivers who don't follow the stopping requirements at school crossings may receive…

a substantial fine & 3 demerit points

You must stop whenever you approach a stopped school bus with its…

* upper alternating red lights flashing
* stop sign arm is extended from driver’s side
* if coming from behind the bus, stop at least 20 metres away
* remain stopped until the arm folds away and all lights stop flashing

Median strip

* physical barrier such as a raised, lowered, earth or paved strip constructed to separate traffic travelling in different directions
* vehicles cannot cross over a median strip

If you fail to stop for a school bus that has its red lights flashing…

fined heavily and get six demerit points for a first offence

Pedestrian crossovers

designated areas that allow pedestrians to safely cross roads where there are no traffic lights

You must not pass any vehicle within … of a pedestrian crossover

30 metres

Hand over hand steering

* turn the steering wheel with one hand and cross the other hand over it
* grip the wheel on the other side and continue turning
* done for sharp turns

To make a right turn

* signal well before the turn & move into the right-hand lane when the way is clear--if the right-hand lane is not marked, keep as far to the right of the road as possible
* when it is safe, complete your turn into the right-hand lane of the road you are entering.

Right turn on a red light

you may make a right turn facing a red light as long as you first come to a complete stop and wait until the way is clear

Left turns

* signal well before the turn and move into the far left lane when the way is clear
* when stopped at an intersection waiting for approaching traffic to clear, don't turn your steering wheel to the left until you can complete the turn

When two vehicles coming from opposite directions meet in an intersection waiting to turn left…

each should turn to the left of the other after yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians and oncoming traffic

Left turn on a red light

may turn left from a one-way road to a one-way road on a red light after coming to a complete stop and making sure the way is clear

In a roundabout:

* use the left lane to turn left or to go straight
* use the right lane to turn right or to go straight--do not enter a roundabout from the right lane if you want to turn left
* look left, leave a gap, travel counter-clockwise, keep moving

Backing up:

* firmly holding the steering wheel, put the gear selector in reverse & turn sideways in your seat to look over your shoulder in the direction you are moving--if reversing straight back, turn body & head to the right and look back over right shoulder
* don’t have to wear a seatbelt when reversing

It is illegal to drive in reverse on a…

divided road that has a speed limit greater than 80km/h

To make a U-turn:

* Signal for a right turn, check your mirror and over your shoulder and pull over to the right side of the road. Stop. Signal a left turn and when traffic is clear in both directions, move forward and turn quickly and sharply into the opposite lane. Check for traffic as you turn.
* Only when you can see 150m in both directions

U-turns & 3-point turns are illegal on a..

* curve in the road
* near a railway crossing or hilltop
* near a bridge or tunnel that blocks your view

3-point turn:

* Start at the far right side of the road
* Signal for a left turn
* when the way is clear in both directions, move forward, turning the steering wheel sharply left towards the curb on the far side of the road
* when you have reached the left side of the road, stop
* shift the vehicle into reverse
* signal a right turn. After checking that the way is still clear, turn the steering wheel sharply to the right, while backing up slowly to the other side of the road.
* stop. Shift to forward gear and check traffic. When the way is clear, drive forward.

Passing within … of a pedestrian crossover is not permitted.

30 metres

Passing left of a centreline is not permitted…

30 metres from a bridge, viaduct or tunnel

On many high-speed roads with three or more lanes in each direction, trucks are not allowed to drive in…

* the far left-hand lane


* the lane next to it is the truck passing lane--if in this lane & a truck wants to pass, move into the right-hand lane as soon as you can

Passing on the right can be more … than passing on the left.

* dangerous
* if driving in the left most lane with a slower vehicle in front of you, wait for the vehicle to move to the right

You must pass streetcars on…

the right unless you are driving on a one-way road

At streetcar stops, stay at least…

* 2metres behind the rear doors where passengers are getting off or on.
* does not apply at stops where an area has been set aside for streetcar passengers

Never park on the … part of a road.

* travelled
* drive off the road onto the shoulder if you must stop

Never park anywhere you do not have a clear view for…

at least 125 metres in both directions

Do not park within … of a fire hydrant.

three metres

Do not park on or within … of a bridge.

100 metres

Do not park within … of a public entrance

6 metres

Do not park within … of an intersection.

9 metres

15 metres if controlled by traffic lights

Do not park within … of the nearest rail of a level railway crossing.

15 metres

Freeway

a high-speed, multi-lane road

High Occupancy Vehicle lanes

to be used for vehicles carrying a set minimum number of people--HOV lanes on provincial highways are reserved for vehicles carrying at least two people

2 parts to a freeway entrance:

entrance ramp & acceleration lane

3 parts to a freeway exit:

* deceleration lane for slowing down that leads drivers out of the main flow of traffic
* exit ramp
* intersection with a stop sign, yield sign or traffic light

Street racers run the risk of…

being charged under the Criminal Code of Canada

If you hit a deer or moose…

,report it to the local police service or the Ministry of Natural Resources

When emergency vehicle with lights on is approaching:

* pull to the right and gradually come to a stop
* don't drive on or block the shoulder on freeways--emergency vehicles will use the shoulder of the road if all lanes are blocked

Failure to respond to an emergency vehicle can result in…

fines and get three demerit points for a first offence.

for additional offences, fines increase and you could also go to jail for up to six months

Driving with glare

* use low-beam headlights within 150 metres of an oncoming vehicle or when following a vehicle within 60 metres
* on country roads, switch to low beams when you come to a curve or hilltop so you can see oncoming headlights and won't blind oncoming drivers--if you can't see any headlights, switch back to high beams

Driving in fog & snow

* slow down gradually & drive at a speed that suits the conditions
* make sure the full lighting system of your vehicle is turned on
* use your low-beam headlights (if you have fog lights on your vehicle, use them, in addition to your low beams)
* use the right edge of the road as a guide, rather than the centre line
* increase your following distance; extra distance to brake safely
* look as far ahead as possible

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If the fog is too dense to continue…

* pull completely off the road and try to position your vehicle in a safe parking area
* turn on emergency flashers

Driving in rain

* drive slowly enough to be able to stop within the distance you can see
* make sure your windshield wipers are in good condition
* drive on clear sections of road--avoid driving in puddles