Driving Tips
The Driving School Association of Ontario Approved Schools offer courses which graduate skilled and safety conscious drivers.
1. Every day before setting out: complete a walk around check of your vehicle; make sure that all glass on the car is clean; be sure your windshield washer tank is topped up; then inside the vehicle check your seat and mirror positions.
2. In rain travel more slowly, use windshield wipers and keep an extra following distance from vehicles ahead of you. A car driven on the road is never to be closer than two seconds from the vehicle ahead. Wheels recommends that you never be closer than 3 seconds or more as a driver of a car.
3. There are more long trucks on our highways now. At intersections, never pass on the right or squeeze in beside a truck to turn right at an intersection.
4. STEPS in PASSING:
- Have a space cushion of a minimum of 5 seconds.
- Signal your intent.
- Check to see that the way is safe, legal and clear.
- Make the decision to pass and accelerate.
- At night switch low beam to high beam when you are beside other driver (this avoids glare)
- Return to your lane only when you see total front end including both headlights in the inside mirror of your car, and you have completed a head check.
5. Read road conditions and respond with gentle use of steering, braking and accelerating.
6. When in a skid:
- Foot off brake and accelerator
- Depress clutch pedal on manual transmission car -Steer in direction car is going
- Target where you want to go
- Shift to neutral quickly in an automatic transmission vehicle
7. Read the road for any and all possible hazards. Make sure that other drivers can see you in all situations. Be prepared to be a defensive driver when other drivers make errors.
8. Always back up slowly.
9. Always buckle up. Never carry a child in your arms. Always have a child placed in a properly secured manner in the back seat.
10. At night always look UP and STRAIGHT AHEAD, beyond and slightly to the right, of the approaching lights. Switch to low beam lights when you are within 150 metres (yards) of an oncoming vehicle or 60 metres when approaching someone from behind. On country roads dim your lights when approaching a corner or crest of a hill.
11. Braking:
- In wet or icy situations brake gradually.
- Brake BEFORE you turn
12. Read and follow maintenance advice in the car manual
13. Always know the vehicle environment in all directions around your vehicle and that includes motorcycles, bicycles, skateboarders, roller bladers, etc.
14. In expressway driving always keep a large SPACE CUSHION around your vehicle.
15. Never drive in another driver’s blind spot. Find out by looking over your shoulder to find any driver who is driving in your blind spot.
16. DON’T:
- Drive when you are tired
- Drive when you have consumed alcohol
- Drive when you have taken medication which affects your alertness
17. Keep your eyes moving and check rear view mirrors all the time you are driving.
18. Driving is about COOPERATION, COURTESY AND COMMON SENSE.
19. Stop driving every hour or two for refreshment and /or exercise.
20. Vehicle breakdown: (Halton Regional Police Force, call 911 or 905-878-5511)
- Pull vehicle as far to the right on the shoulder as possible
- Lock all doors and remain in the vehicle, unless your car is unsafe
- Turn on emergency flashers
- Display “CALL POLICE” poster in rear window
- Use horn to summon help
- If someone approaches, lower window 2 inches only to speak
Reference: Tips from Ontario Driving School Association of Ontario and the Ontario Trucking Association and Wheels.