Becoming a new driver in Canada is an exciting milestone, but it also comes with its challenges. As you embark on this journey, it’s essential to equip yourself with valuable advice to ensure a safe and confident driving experience. In this article, we will provide you with comprehensive guidance and tips tailored specifically for new drivers in Canada.

Maintain Your Composure

When faced with an aggressive driver, it’s crucial to remain calm and composed. Here are some strategies to help you maintain your composure:

1. Avoid Provocation: Do not engage with the aggressive driver by returning their gestures or engaging in verbal confrontations. Stay focused on your own driving and ignore their behavior.
2. Take Deep Breaths: Deep breathing exercises can help you relax and reduce stress. Take slow, deep breaths to help you stay calm and centered.
3. Listen to Soothing Music: Listening to calm and soothing music can help create a peaceful environment within your vehicle, promoting a sense of calmness and reducing stress.

Distance Yourself Safely

Creating distance between yourself and the aggressive driver is crucial for your safety. Here’s what you can do:

1. Maintain a Safe Following Distance: Keep a safe distance between your vehicle and the aggressive driver’s vehicle. This will allow you more time to react and provide a buffer zone in case they engage in sudden maneuvers.
2. Change Lanes: If it’s safe to do so, change lanes to create more space between your vehicle and the aggressive driver. However, be cautious and use your mirrors and turn signals to ensure the lane change is executed safely.
3. Exit the Road: If the aggressive behavior persists or escalates, consider exiting the road or taking a different route to separate yourself from the situation.

Report Aggressive Driving

Reporting aggressive driving can help authorities take appropriate actions and prevent future incidents. Follow these steps:

1. Safely Document Information: Take note of the aggressive driver’s license plate number, make and model of the vehicle, and any other relevant details that can help identify the vehicle later.
2. Contact the Authorities: Call the local police or highway patrol to report the incident. Provide them with accurate and detailed information about the aggressive driver’s behavior and location.
3. Avoid Confrontation: It’s important to report the incident rather than attempting to confront the aggressive driver directly. Confrontations can escalate the situation and put your safety at risk.

Practice Defensive Driving

Defensive driving techniques can help you navigate the roads safely and reduce the chances of encountering aggressive drivers. Here are some defensive driving tips:

1. Anticipate and Be Aware: Stay alert and scan the road ahead for potential hazards or aggressive driving behaviors. Being aware of your surroundings can help you react promptly and avoid dangerous situations.
2. Signal Your Intentions: Always use your turn signals to communicate your intentions to other drivers. Clear communication can help prevent misunderstandings and minimize the chances of conflicts.
3. Maintain a Safe Speed: Observe and adhere to the posted speed limits. Driving at a safe speed allows you more time to react to unexpected situations and maintain control of your vehicle.

Conclusion

Dealing with aggressive drivers requires patience, composure, and a focus on your own safety. By maintaining your composure, creating distance between yourself and the aggressive driver, reporting incidents when necessary, and practicing defensive driving techniques, you can navigate the roads safely and minimize the impact of aggressive driving behaviors. Remember, staying calm and prioritizing safety should always be your top priorities when faced with aggressive drivers on the road.

Driving on snow and ice can be difficult and dangerous, especially for inexperienced drivers. The winter season may cause lower visibility, make roadways slick, and raise the possibility of an accident. You can drive safely in snow and ice if you use the correct methods and techniques. In this article, we will share winter driving tips and techniques to help you stay safe on the road.

Get your vehicle ready for winter driving

It is critical to prepare your vehicle for winter driving conditions before you hit the road. Here are some tips to help you prepare your automobile for winter driving:

Use Winter Tires:Unlike all-season tires, winter tires are designed to provide superior traction in snow and ice. Consider upgrading your winter tires before the season begins.

Check Your Battery:Cold weather might cause your car battery to operate poorly. Check that your battery is fully charged and in good working order.

Examine Your Wipers and Fluids: Make sure your wipers are in good working order and that your windshield wiper fluid is full. You should also use a winter formula windshield washer fluid that will not freeze in cold weather.

Check Your Lights: Make sure all of your lights, including your headlights, taillights, and brake lights, are working properly. In winter driving conditions, strong visibility is critical.

It’s time to hit the road after you’ve prepared your vehicle for winter. Here are some guidelines for driving safely in snow and ice:

Limit Your Speed: Snow and ice may limit traction on the road, making car maneuvering more difficult. Slow down and drive at a reasonable speed for the conditions.

Increase Your Following Distance: Allow extra space between you and the car ahead of you to allow for longer stopping distances.

Brake and Accelerate Slowly: Sudden braking or acceleration can cause your car to lose traction and skid. Put gentle, slow pressure on the brakes and accelerator.

Avoid Sudden Turns or Lane Changes: Avoid making sudden turns or lane changes, which can cause your automobile to lose traction and spin out.

Use Your Headlights: The snowy or icy conditions require more attention on the road. So, use your headlights to improve visibility. Even during the day, turn on your headlights to make your vehicle more apparent to other drivers.

Avoid Using Cruise Control: Using cruise control on snowy or slippery roads might cause your automobile to lose traction. In winter driving conditions, avoid utilizing cruise control.

What to do in case of a skid or slide

Even with the best precautions, your car may still slide or skid on snow or ice. Here’s what to do in case of a skid or slide:

Remain Calm: Stay calm and avoid sudden maneuvers that can worsen the situation.

Steer in the direction of the skid: If your car starts to skid, steer in the direction of the skid until you regain control of the vehicle.

Avoid braking: Avoid applying the brakes during a skid or slide. This can cause your car to lose traction and make the skid worse.

Slow down: Slow down and drive cautiously until you feel comfortable driving in the conditions.

Conclusion

Winter driving requires more caution and preparation. By preparing your vehicle, reducing your speed, increasing your following distance, braking and accelerating slowly, avoiding sudden maneuvers, and using your headlights, you can drive safely in snow and ice. Remember to remain calm in case of a skid or slide, steer in the direction of the skid, avoid braking, and slow down until you feel comfortable driving in the conditions.

Getting a driver’s license in Ontario is a crucial process for young people. The most important requirement for driving a car on the roads of Ontario is a driver’s license. However, you need to have a valid owner’s permit, license plate, and insurance. Depending on several variables, some of which are beyond your control, car insurance can be a significant expense. There are some ways to lower this monthly or yearly cost, though, as there always are with car-related expenses.

Why is the insurance cost more expensive for new drivers?

Studies show that young and new drivers are more likely to have an accident while driving. Inexperience and, most of all, carelessness are the most important reasons for the high risk of accidents. Because of this, the increased risk of accidents also leads to an increase in insurance costs for young people in Ontario. It is also worth remembering that: In Ontario, individuals under the age of 25 are considered young and forced to pay more insurance.

Factors that are difficult to replace insurance expenses

Insurance cost in Ontario varies depending on many different factors. It is difficult to replace some of them under the current conditions. Age, gender, and place of residence are some of them. For example, if you are a male under the age of 25, you will pay considerably high insurance costs. Because men have a greater risk of having an accident than women and young people are likely to cause an accident while driving. If the traffic congestion, crime, and theft rates in the place where you live are high, as well as if there is little indoor parking, you will again face more insurance expenses.

What should young people pay attention to pay fewer insurance premiums?

As we mentioned above, age, gender, and place of residence are some of the factors that young people will not change to reduce their insurance premiums, whereas insurance premiums for young people can be significantly reduced as a result of paying attention to some issues. Now let’s explain them in order:

• Buying the correct car that suits your purpose: You should make your car choice from well-known brands that can meet your purpose, are compatible with the city of Ontario, accepted safety components, and are not overly luxurious cars. Thus, insurance costs can be reduced.
  

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• Choosing the right coverage: The type of coverage you have is one of the main variables affecting your auto insurance rates. You should check the Ontario regulations to choose the basic policy that will cost less than collision and comprehensive coverage. If you want to reduce the cost of your auto insurance, you can select a plan with a greater deductible. Be advised that, doing so may raise your risk if your coverage is reduced or you choose a high-deductible plan. If you choose this course of action, be aware that if you file a claim, you might have to pay more out of pocket.
  

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• Searching the insurance companies: Different insurance companies may give different prices for the same conditions. Some companies evaluate the exemptions differently and can organize advantageous campaigns for young people. These issues should be investigated before entering into an insurance agreement.
  

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• Examine the advantage of bundles:  Insurance companies do not stick to car insurance only. Home insurance, workplace insurance, and health insurance are some of the areas. Companies can offer very advantageous price offers for each insurance if the insurance is made in a package. Therefore, this issue becomes worth studying.
  

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• Enroll in a Ministry-Approved beginner driver education course: Completing the BDE course in a driving school officially authorized by the ministry in Ontario, provides a valuable insurance discount for you. You will learn the rules of driving in more detail. You will have a chance to take the G2 road test 4 months earlier than usual and a great insurance discount.
  

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  Get in touch with us or see the details for beginner driver education packages here.

I wonder, why is excessive stress done to pass the stages necessary to obtain a driver’s license? Why can’t many people do the things they do easily during normal times during a road test? In this article, where you will find answers to these and similar questions, we will present you with the most important 10 things needed to pass the G2 and G road tests in Ontario. Come let’s take a look…

 

1. Before the road test, get at least 2 hours of training from an MTO-certified driving instructor who has experience in road test routes. Practice a lot to reinforce this training in your free time. See our in-car training packages here.

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2. Complete all your preparations before the road test, be confident, and get rid of tension. Remember that in the road test you will repeat the topics that you have already studied, and do the things that you know.

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3. Once in the car, ensure environmental control. Fasten your seat belt, and test the signal lights. After that, turn off the music systems, and adjust the seats and mirrors for yourself.

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4. Be in control when you leave. Do not forget to signal both during the first take-off and when changing lanes while driving. Do not forget to make a safe return by checking the incoming traffic during the turns.

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5. Take your time and be very careful with the speed limits. Do controlled driving, do not be either fast or slow. Move within the speed limits.

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6. Pay extreme attention to traffic signs, lights, and especially areas where you need to stop while driving. Avoid sudden brakes, so react to possible lights and signs on the road.

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7. Do not lose control when you are asked to stop and park your car by the examiner. Never forget to use the parking brake while parking, and release the parking brake when moving again.

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8. If you are asked for parallel parking, make a shoulder check with your head turned, not in the mirrors. Getting enough practice in this regard will have a very positive effect on your road test success.

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9. Be calm and responsive to the examiner’s instructions. At the same time, do not compromise driving safety. Especially for lane changes, check your mirrors and blind spots before you change lanes, give a signal, and switch to the other lane in a controlled manner.

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10. Another aspect that affects your driving safety during the road test is whether you can reason against threats from the environment. Environmental control, foresight, and controlled behaviour against possible mistakes of other drivers will be effective in passing the road test.

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The 10 tips mentioned above will help you a lot to pass the road tests not only in Ontario but also anywhere in the world.

 

If you are in the G2 waiting period, you may complete our MTO-approved Online Beginner Driver Education (BDE) course and be eligible for the road test 4 months earlier than usual. Also, you will have an insurance discount with the MTO certificate. See the details here.

 

We wish you all success on your road test.

 

 

Learning to drive is an important milestone in Canada as it is all over the world. Driving gives people a sense of freedom. There are also some costs that this feeling will bring to you, and one of them is insuring the car that you own. Insurance costs could be very high, especially for young and new drivers. 

There are ways to reduce the cost of insurance in the province of Ontario for young and new drivers. One of these ways and perhaps the fastest one is to complete a ministry-approved beginner driver education (MTO-approved BDE) course. 

The modified G road test is in effect until March 31, 2022, but the MTO will continue to monitor testing levels and may extend the date if necessary. The G2 road test remains unchanged. The aim of this temporary modification for G Road test is reducing a backlog caused by COVID-19 restrictions and closures.

So what is changed on the G Road Test?

“As we temporarily pause these duplicative, discretionary components of the G test, we will continue to enforce the fundamentals of the G test while using modified, more direct routes to and from road test locations, which will enable a 30 per cent increase in appointments to be booked each day,” said MTO spokesperson Dakota Brassier  [1]. That means MTO will remove some elements from the G test that are also assessed in the lower-level G2 test, such as parallel parking, three-point turns and roadside stops. The routes to and from testing locations will be modified so they are more direct. These changes will make the test shorter, which will allow more tests to be booked and completed. Of course, this modification did not make everyone happy.

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This modification made in the G Road test was criticized by Brian Patterson- the president and CEO of the Ontario Safety League-. He made statements that he found it wrong to modify the tests that have been tried and experienced for 25 years, the tests performed in 15 minutes will not give fair results, that low standard drivers may pass these tests, and that this may lead to serious accidents on the roads in the future. Although Patterson’s statement is thought to be true, it should not be forgotten that this situation is temporary. In addition, since the elements removed in the modification have already been observed in the G2 road test, this modification is not thought to cause major problems. As a result, it should be noted that the purpose of this modification is to reduce the backlog. Of course, experienced Road test observers are going to certainly not put substandard drivers to this test.

As a newcomer or an immigrant in Ontario, it’s essential to handle basics to feel settled and grasp your life firmly in no time. Speaking of the basics; first of all, you need to earn your freedom to transport yourself!

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It’s not only about travelling around or socializing but also about becoming more qualified and opening up to a new range of job opportunities. Furthermore, some certain job positions require a driver’s license; even if they don’t, it shines on your CV.  And it’s not even that hard.

Exchange of Licenses for Countries with Mutual Jurisdiction

The province of Ontario has license exchange agreements with all Canadian provinces and territories, including Canadian Forces in Europe. However, Ontario has license exchange agreements with Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, The Isle of Man, Japan, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and The United States.

Drivers coming to Ontario from these countries will be able to get a valid G driver’s licence in Ontario. The only necessary condition for this is that they have an equivalent driver’s license. Those who have less than two years of driving experience need to enter the Second Level of the graduated driver’s license system. If you have a total of two years of driving experience, you can take a Second-Level road test to gain full driving authority.

Getting a G1 License

To have a G1 license in Ontario, the first requirement is to be over the age of 16. After that, it is necessary to pass a written test on traffic rules and traffic warning signs. In this written test, 20 questions are asked on each subject. For each test, you need to answer 80% correctly. So you must have at least 16 correct answers in both exams. 

Sample questions about this training and exam, also conducted by the Master Driving School, are available in abundance on the internet. By solving these tests, you can prepare for the G1 Test. Foreigners who do not have enough knowledge of English also have the option to take the exam in their language for free. Currently, there are more than 20 different language options, and you can take the G1 test in your language. You may take our G1 Knowledge Test Preparation Course or the practice tests in English, French, Hindi, Chinese, Arabic, or Turkish to feel more confident before the exam.

Immediately after you take the G1 Test in the province of Ontario, your exam result is announced by the authorities. If you succeed in the exam, you are given a temporary driver’s license. Your card is mailed to your address 2-3 weeks after that. If you did not succeed in the G1 test, you can immediately re-enter the exam by paying a fee of about $ 20. If you want, you can repeat the same exam at a later date. If you failed only one subject in the exam you entered on traffic rules and traffic warning signs, you will take the exam again from that section.

When you get a G1 driver’s license; to go to traffic, you must have someone with a 4-year G driver’s license. To drive on highways, you must have a licensed steering instructor with you. Even if you have a G1 driver’s license, it is decidedly forbidden to drink alcohol or drive between 12 and 5 hours at night.

Getting a G2 License

The third and final step to obtaining a driver’s license in Ontario, Canada is the G driver’s license. 1 year after obtaining a G2 driver’s license, you can take the exam to obtain a G driver’s license.

In the G exam, it is necessary to pay attention to procedures similar to the G2 test. In addition, you are checking whether you are driving safely on the highway. You have to connect to the highway at 100 km, which is the maximum speed applicable to the Ontario highway rules. Taking into account the availability of the road, long-term exceeding or falling below 100 km is among the reasons for failure.

Another important consideration is blind spot control. In Ontario, Canada, simply checking the rear-view mirror or side mirrors is not considered sufficient to obtain a driver’s license. During lane changes, observers are paying attention to whether you look back quickly and detect the blind spot.

Every person who receives a G driver’s license can use any vehicle, including a commercial vehicle, at any time, on any road. It can last up to a glass (0.05 BAC) of alcohol. Both car insurance and fines paid increase if more alcohol is taken.

Finally, we want to inform you about some important details that will be useful.

• If you have a driver’s license belonging to your own country, having it translated by a sworn translator or receiving a translation from the consulate will allow you to pass the G1 and G2 exams.
• You can use your car to take the exams. If you want to use the exam center’s tool, you will need to pay an additional fee.
• As in Ontario, driving traditions in other countries and cities are different from each other. That, in turn, those who come from foreign countries should be familiar with the traffic rules of Ontario. It would be useful for you to study the Official MTO Driver’s Handbook and the website of the Ministry of Transportation to find out these rules in advance.

 

How is the procedure for obtaining a driver’s license for those who come from outside Ontario (other states or countries)? We are waiting for your questions and comments on this article, in which we answer the question. Master Driving school officials can talk to those who are stuck in your head about these and similar issues.