Getting ready to drive
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Be physically and mentally alert
Evaluate your physical and mental state before driving. Illness, fatigue, medication side-effects, and strong emotions can impair your driving ability.
Never drive if you feel too tired, upset, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Fatigue slows reaction times, and strong emotions can cloud judgment and decision-making.
If you are in doubt about your fitness to drive (physically or mentally), do not get behind the wheel.
Know your vehicle
Read your vehicle’s owner’s manual to understand all controls, warning lights, and safety systems (e.g., anti-lock brakes, traction control, stability control).
Know where the wipers, headlights, high beams, heater, and defroster controls are located so you can operate them without taking your eyes off the road.
Stay alert to how any driver-assist features work, but remember that you remain responsible for controlling the vehicle at all times.
Get into position
Sit upright with a clear view of the road. You should be able to see the ground about four metres in front of the vehicle.
Adjust the seat so you can press the pedals without stretching your legs, and keep your elbows slightly bent when holding the steering wheel.
Align the headrest so that its middle is directly behind the back of your head to help protect against whiplash in a collision.
Keep a clear view
Remove any objects or window coatings that block your view. Front and side windows must be clear of obstructions.
Position your interior mirror so you can see directly behind the vehicle. Adjust the side mirrors to minimize blind spots, though some blind spots will still remain.
Always do a shoulder check before changing lanes or turning because mirrors alone do not show vehicles or pedestrians in your blind spots.
Find your blind spots
Blind spots are areas around your vehicle that cannot be seen in your mirrors—often to the back left and back right.
The size of your blind spots may vary by vehicle. Have someone walk around your vehicle to see how these spots change.
Performing a quick shoulder check is the only way to confirm there are no vehicles or cyclists in your blind spots before you move.
Fasten your seatbelt
Always wear your seatbelt. The shoulder strap should go over your shoulder and across the centre of your chest; the lap belt should be low over the hips.
In Ontario, drivers must ensure all passengers under 16 years of age are properly buckled into a seatbelt or child car seat. Failing to do so can result in a fine and demerit points.
Never share a seatbelt with another passenger. Each passenger must use their own seatbelt.
Child safety
Children must be secured in the correct car seat or booster seat based on height, weight, and age requirements.
Rear-facing car seats are required for infants under 9 kg (20 lbs.) and should never be placed in front of an active airbag.
Forward-facing child car seats must be used for toddlers 9–18 kg (20–40 lbs.) and be anchored properly with a tether strap.
Booster seats must be used for children who have outgrown a forward-facing seat, are under 8 years old, weigh between 18–36 kg (40–80 lbs.), and are less than 145 cm (4 ft. 9 in.) tall.
Ensure the seat is installed tightly with no more than 2.5 cm (1 inch) of movement at the belt path, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for correct installation.
Turn on headlights at night and in poor conditions
Turn on headlights from one-half hour before sunset to one-half hour after sunrise, and anytime visibility is poor (less than 150 metres).
Use high beams to see further down the road, but dim to low beams within 150 metres of oncoming vehicles or if you are within 60 metres behind another vehicle.
Daytime running lights (DRL) help with visibility in good light conditions but do not replace headlights at night or in poor conditions (because they don’t usually activate tail lights).
Parking lights are only for parking; use headlights instead when driving in low light conditions.