Sharing the road with other road users
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Sharing the road with pedestrians
Pedestrians and drivers share responsibility. Pedestrians must ensure drivers see them and are stopping before entering the roadway.
Drivers must yield to pedestrians at crosswalks and watch for clues such as stopped vehicles that may indicate someone is crossing.
Make eye contact whenever possible. This helps confirm that both pedestrian and driver are aware of each other.
Be extra cautious near school zones, residential areas, and locations where children might appear unexpectedly.
All intersections typically have a crosswalk, even if unmarked.
Watch for school crossings and crossing guards: you must stop and yield the entire roadway until everyone is safely on the sidewalk.
Slow or disabled pedestrians may need extra time to cross; be patient and give them right-of-way.
Drivers of quiet (hybrid/electric) vehicles must stay extra alert since pedestrians (especially vision-impaired) may rely on sound to detect traffic.
Motorized wheelchairs and medical scooters are legally considered pedestrians.
Streetcar stops can have people entering or exiting; drive slowly and be ready to stop for unexpected pedestrian moves.
Sharing the road with cyclists
Bicycles and mopeds operating at lower speeds generally ride about one metre from the curb or parked cars.
Cyclists can use any part of a lane if necessary for safety (e.g., avoiding debris or narrow lanes).
When passing a cyclist, maintain at least one metre of space (where practical), or change lanes to pass safely.
Do not follow closely—cyclists have no brake lights to warn you.
Check mirrors and blind spots before turning right to avoid cutting off a cyclist.
Stop and yield to oncoming bicycles before making a left turn.
Bike lanes are reserved for cyclists. Enter a bike lane only after ensuring it’s safe to do so, typically for right turns.
Watch for cyclists’ hand signals, and try to make eye contact when possible.
A bike box at intersections allows cyclists to position themselves ahead of traffic. Do not stop in the bike box.
Sharrows indicate a shared lane for both cyclists and drivers; stay vigilant and respect cyclists’ space.
Sharing the road with motorcycles and limited-speed motorcycles
Motorcycles and mopeds are harder to see because of their smaller size; they can move quickly or make sudden maneuvers to avoid hazards.
They use the entire lane—treat them like other vehicles, giving them full lane space.
Some motorcycle turn signals do not cancel automatically, so confirm the rider is truly turning before proceeding or turning left in front of them.
Sharing the road with large commercial vehicles
Large vehicles have extensive blind spots—if you cannot see the driver in their mirrors, they cannot see you.
They require more distance to stop. Do not cut in front too soon after passing.
Wide turns: trucks may swing left to make a tight right turn. Do not move into the gap on the right—stay well back.
Large vehicles can roll back when starting on an incline, so leave extra space behind them.
In bad weather, large vehicles may spray mud, snow, or water onto your windshield. Be prepared for sudden loss of vision.
Air turbulence from large vehicles can affect your car’s stability when passing.
Sharing the road with municipal buses
Municipal buses often pull into special bus bays. When you see a bus signalling to re-enter traffic, you must allow it back in if you are in the adjacent lane.
Bus bays can appear mid-block, before or after intersections, or between parked cars.
Sharing the road with farm machinery
Farm machinery travels slowly, often under 40 km/h. Watch for orange/red slow-moving vehicle signs.
These vehicles can be wide and may not see vehicles approaching from behind.
Farmers often drive after dark during busy seasons—stay alert and pass only when safe.
Sharing the road with horse-drawn vehicles
Horse-drawn vehicles typically travel on or near the shoulder and move slowly.
They display an orange/red slow-moving vehicle sign and often reflective tape.
Avoid startling the horse. Pass with caution and maintain as much distance as possible.
Sharing the road with school buses
Flashing amber lights indicate a bus is slowing or preparing to stop; be ready to stop yourself.
Flashing red lights or a stop arm activated means you must stop in both directions unless there’s a median strip separating traffic. Stay at least 20 metres back if you’re behind the bus.
Do not proceed until the bus moves or the red lights/stop arm are deactivated.
Failing to stop for a school bus with flashing red lights or stop arm is both dangerous and illegal.