Driver’s License
Chapter 1 - Getting License
Driver’s License Classification Chart
Chapter 2 - Safe & Responsible Driving
Being a safe and responsible driver takes a combination of knowledge, skill and attitude. To
begin, you must know the traffic laws and driving practices that help traffic move safely.
Breaking these "rules of the road" is the major cause of collisions.
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 licence. If you get
caught driving while your licence is sus-pended, your vehicle may be impounded. But you need
to do more than just obey the rules. You must care about the safety of others on the road.
Everyone is responsible for avoiding collisions. Even if someone else does something wrong,
you may be found responsible for a collision if you could have done something to avoid it.
Because drivers have to co-operate to keep traffic moving safely, you must also be predictable,
doing what other people using the road expect you to do. And you must be courteous.
Courteous driving means giving other drivers space to change lanes, not cutting them off and
signalling your turns and lane changes properly. You must be able to see dangerous situations
before they happen and to respond quickly and effectively to prevent them. This is called
defensive or strategic driving.
There are collision avoidance courses available where you can practice these techniques.
Defensive driving is based on three ideas: visibility, space and communication. Visibility is about
seeing and being seen. You should always be aware of traffic in front, behind and beside you.
Keep your eyes constantly moving, scanning the road ahead and to the side and checking your
mirrors every five seconds or so. The farther ahead you look, the less likely you will be
surprised, and you will have time to avoid any hazards. Make sure other drivers can see you by
using your signal lights as required. Managing the space around your vehicle lets you see and
be seen and gives you time and space to avoid a collision. Leave a cushion of space ahead,
behind and to both sides. Because the greatest risk of a collision is in front of you, stay well
back. Communicate with other road users to make sure they see you and know what you are
doing. Make eye contact with pedestrians, cyclists and drivers at intersections and signal
whenever you want to slow down, stop, turn or change lanes. If you need to get another
person's attention, use your horn.
Getting Ready to Drive
, Before you drive, make sure you are comfortable with your physical, mental and emotional
state, your vehicle and the conditions in which you will be driving. If you have doubts about any
of them, don't drive.
Your ability to drive can change from one day to the next. Illness, fatigue, prescription and
over-the-counter drugs, stress and your mental or emotional state can greatly diminish your
ability to operate a motor vehicle. You should consider these factors before you begin driving,
and you should not operate a motor vehicle when you are not fit to do so.
Be physically & mentally alert
You must be in good physical and mental condition to drive. Don't drive when you are sick or
injured or when you have been drinking alcohol or taking any drug or medication that may
reduce your ability to drive. Don't drive when you are tired. You might fall asleep at the wheel,
risking the lives of others on the road. Even if you don't fall asleep, fatigue affects your driving
ability. Your thinking slows down and you miss seeing things. In an emergency, you may make
the wrong decision or you may not make the right decision fast enough.
Don't drive when you are upset or angry. Strong emotions can reduce your ability to think and
react quickly.
Know your Vehicle
Get to know your vehicle before you drive it. There are many types of vehicles available today
with many different characteristics, including fuel ignition systems, anti-lock brakes, four-wheel
drive, and systems for traction control and stability control.
Many newer vehicles offer technologies that assist drivers with steering, braking and/or
accelerating to help you stay within your lane, avoid, or reduce collisions, and maintain safe
following distances. Check the vehicle owner's manual and other information available from the
automaker to learn how these systems work, how to properly operate them, and to understand
their limitations. No matter what technologies are available in your vehicle, you must always pay
attention to how they operate, be ready to take over control of the vehicle, in the event of an
unusual or unforeseen situation, and recognize that you remain responsible for all driving tasks.
For driving in difficult situations and conditions, see the section on dealing with particular
situations. Make sure you know where all the controls and instruments are and what they do.
Check that all warning lights and 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 and wash-ers, 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
Chapter 1 - Getting License
Driver’s License Classification Chart
Chapter 2 - Safe & Responsible Driving
Being a safe and responsible driver takes a combination of knowledge, skill and attitude. To
begin, you must know the traffic laws and driving practices that help traffic move safely.
Breaking these "rules of the road" is the major cause of collisions.
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 licence. If you get
caught driving while your licence is sus-pended, your vehicle may be impounded. But you need
to do more than just obey the rules. You must care about the safety of others on the road.
Everyone is responsible for avoiding collisions. Even if someone else does something wrong,
you may be found responsible for a collision if you could have done something to avoid it.
Because drivers have to co-operate to keep traffic moving safely, you must also be predictable,
doing what other people using the road expect you to do. And you must be courteous.
Courteous driving means giving other drivers space to change lanes, not cutting them off and
signalling your turns and lane changes properly. You must be able to see dangerous situations
before they happen and to respond quickly and effectively to prevent them. This is called
defensive or strategic driving.
There are collision avoidance courses available where you can practice these techniques.
Defensive driving is based on three ideas: visibility, space and communication. Visibility is about
seeing and being seen. You should always be aware of traffic in front, behind and beside you.
Keep your eyes constantly moving, scanning the road ahead and to the side and checking your
mirrors every five seconds or so. The farther ahead you look, the less likely you will be
surprised, and you will have time to avoid any hazards. Make sure other drivers can see you by
using your signal lights as required. Managing the space around your vehicle lets you see and
be seen and gives you time and space to avoid a collision. Leave a cushion of space ahead,
behind and to both sides. Because the greatest risk of a collision is in front of you, stay well
back. Communicate with other road users to make sure they see you and know what you are
doing. Make eye contact with pedestrians, cyclists and drivers at intersections and signal
whenever you want to slow down, stop, turn or change lanes. If you need to get another
person's attention, use your horn.
Getting Ready to Drive
, Before you drive, make sure you are comfortable with your physical, mental and emotional
state, your vehicle and the conditions in which you will be driving. If you have doubts about any
of them, don't drive.
Your ability to drive can change from one day to the next. Illness, fatigue, prescription and
over-the-counter drugs, stress and your mental or emotional state can greatly diminish your
ability to operate a motor vehicle. You should consider these factors before you begin driving,
and you should not operate a motor vehicle when you are not fit to do so.
Be physically & mentally alert
You must be in good physical and mental condition to drive. Don't drive when you are sick or
injured or when you have been drinking alcohol or taking any drug or medication that may
reduce your ability to drive. Don't drive when you are tired. You might fall asleep at the wheel,
risking the lives of others on the road. Even if you don't fall asleep, fatigue affects your driving
ability. Your thinking slows down and you miss seeing things. In an emergency, you may make
the wrong decision or you may not make the right decision fast enough.
Don't drive when you are upset or angry. Strong emotions can reduce your ability to think and
react quickly.
Know your Vehicle
Get to know your vehicle before you drive it. There are many types of vehicles available today
with many different characteristics, including fuel ignition systems, anti-lock brakes, four-wheel
drive, and systems for traction control and stability control.
Many newer vehicles offer technologies that assist drivers with steering, braking and/or
accelerating to help you stay within your lane, avoid, or reduce collisions, and maintain safe
following distances. Check the vehicle owner's manual and other information available from the
automaker to learn how these systems work, how to properly operate them, and to understand
their limitations. No matter what technologies are available in your vehicle, you must always pay
attention to how they operate, be ready to take over control of the vehicle, in the event of an
unusual or unforeseen situation, and recognize that you remain responsible for all driving tasks.
For driving in difficult situations and conditions, see the section on dealing with particular
situations. Make sure you know where all the controls and instruments are and what they do.
Check that all warning lights and 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 and wash-ers, 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
