Are you taking driver training?

Driver training is going to save you money on your car insurance. It is also going to reduce the chance of your having a car accident. In fact, in driver training school they believe that there are no car accidents.

Driver training which includes defensive driving maintains that there are no "car accidents". When something goes wrong then it is a "car crash". If you had been doing everything right then an accident just does not occur. Defensive driving is to avoid a collision regardless of action or inaction of other drivers.

What is the background that you get before you get behind the wheel? First you have to pass the basic learner's license. Then you take a certain number of classroom hours, usually 15 hours and then you write an exam. The exam must be 80% correct to give you a passing mark.

Some of the areas you will need to know when writing that exam in Alberta include:

  • A stage two Graduated Driver License (GDL) probationary driver (Class 5) will be suspended upon receiving 8 demerit points rather than fully licensed drivers at 15.
  • The correct position for your right foot when driving is to have your heel on the floor of the vehicle and pivot your toe from right to left to gas and brake. This increases your reaction time by 3/4 second.
  • When driving in a town and speed limit is not posted then you drive at 50 km/h.
  • When driving in the city look 12-15 seconds ahead (1 to 1-1/2 blocks).
  • When driving on a highway look 20-25 seconds ahead (1 km).
  • When driving on a rural road that is not a highway then it is 80 km/h.
  • A primary highway (divided) speed limit is 100 km/h. There is usually an allowance if 10 km/h more or less.
  • Dry steering is when you turn your wheel when the car is not moving.
  • Off road recovery - when you drift too far to the right then to recover your position you should not brake nor accelerate. Ease your foot off the gas pedal to slow down and if you have to brake then do it gently in order to keep control. Check the traffic flow then go back onto the road into the correct position when it is safe to do so.
  • Provincial school zone is 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.; 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m during school months 30 km/h.
  • Playground zones are observed every day from 8:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset 30 km/h.
  • Do not pass another vehicle in a playground zone - not even if you are in the other lane beside vehicle. You can only pass a stationary object, not a moving vehicle.
  • Signal your turn when driving in the city 30 m in advance.
  • Signal your turn when driving on the highway 100m in advance.
  • When driving on highway with curve coming up you slow down a bit before you get to curve then increase speed.
  • Do not stop if a police officer tells you to turn a different way, slow down, check and go.
  • Park your car 50 cm from the curb.
  • Park your car no less then 1.5 m away from a driveway.
  • Park your car no less then 5m from a fire hydrant, stop sign or intersection.
  • You must stop even when stop sign is not posted when you are coming out of a parking lot, alley way or a driveway.
  • Never stop a car at a railway track unless train is coming or you can hear the whistle, just check and proceed.
  • If trains is coming then stop 500 m back if you can see it or hear it.
  • Stopping at a stop sign - you must stop at the white or yellow line; if not lines then crosswalk lines and if no crosswalk likes then stop within 3m of the road marking. You must stop for at least 3 seconds.
  • Every 5-8 seconds glance at your rear view mirror, check side mirrors, check what is happening in front of your vehicle as you drive.
  • Leave a space cushion between you and the car in front of you - 2 second following rule.
  • If someone is following you too close, tailgating you then slow down, discourage them but do not step on brakes.
  • Uncontrolled intersection yield to the vehicle on the right.
  • When come to a red light you must come to a complete stop for at least 3 seconds.
  • You can turn left on a red light when going from a one way street to a one way street.
  • Skidding? Go into neutral, don't apply too much brake, ease off slowly and do not look down on the ground, look straight ahead.
  • Emergency braking - to avoid locking the wheels when you stop suddenly you press down hard on the brake pedal but not hard enough to cause a wheel lock. If the wheels do lock then release brake pedal and press hard again to regain control as you start to skid. Be sure to look and steer in the direction you want to go.
  • It is illegal to backup into 45 degree angle parking.
  • Uphill parking turn the wheels away from the curb.
  • Downhill parking turn the wheel towards the curb.
  • Without a curb, turn the wheel to the right side.
  • When you see a curve ahead sign slow down as you anticipate curve.
  • A green circle with two vehicles on a sign means passing is permitted.
  • Road signs -regulatory - what can be done or cannot be done - yield, do not enter, winding road and will be red and white. Traffic direction signs are black and white and could include one way, divider ahead. Speed limits are white with black print. Designated lane signs are black with white arrows. Permissive manouever signs is a green circle the whatever is inside is okay to do, this would include truck routes, bicycles permitted, and dangerous goods routes for example. Prohibitive manouever are white with a red circle and a backslash to show "no" as in no bicycles allowed, no left turn, etc. Prohibitive parking signs are white with a red circle and backslash with an arrow indicating where parking is not allowed. Crossing sign are white with a black figure and would include pedestrian crossing and school crosswalk.
  • Road signs - warning - warn of an upcoming hazard and are yellow diamonds or rectangle with symbols on them. They can include stop ahead or traffic control signal ahead. The turn or curve signs are yellow triangles and the recommended speed is a yellow rectangle. Crossing signs are yellow diamonds and can include a green diamond for school crosswalk ahead. Intersections, converging roadways, narrow roadways, divided highways and other road conditions are all yellow and black diamonds. The hazard marker showing object in a certain direction are yellow and rectangular.
  • Road signs - information and guide signs include route markets white with black or green rectangles and highway information green rectangles, services green squares, off-road facilities which are brown of purple squares, road construction with are orange and diamond or rectangular.
  • Road signs - other signs include an orange triangle outlined with red for a slow moving vehicle, blue square with a person in a wheelchair which indicates services for people with disabilities, school zone signs which are green and a pentagon, when sign has the speed then it is beyond a warning and posted speed is in force. You can see an orange square with a revised speed for school zone ends. Playground zones have a yellow warning sign and then an orange sign with the speed stated.This also will have a orange square sign signifying the end of the playground zone and a white revised speed sign. You can also see a brown rectangular sign for TTY capabilities and over dimensional loads signs.
  • A billboard is when you cannot see because of a vehicle in front of, behind or beside you. Try to change lanes if possible to do so safely.
  • If you are caught drinking and driving with a GDL license you will be suspended for one year there is a zero tolerance.
  • If there is an emergency vehicle behind you with flashing lights, pull over to the side of road. If you were stuck at traffic lights then try to clear the way as fast as you can.
  • If an emergency vehicle (police, ambulance, fire, tow truck, gas utility) is stopped with their lights flashing then the lane adjacent to the vehicles must slow to 60 km/h or less is the posted speed is lower. Be cautious, slow down and leave lots of room between yours and the vehicles, equipment, parked at the scene. Watch out for people moving around in that area.
  • Emergency flashing lights - this is a warning of a problem ahead. Slow down, change lanes if necessary and be prepared to stop. Follow the directions if there is a flagman and watch out for other vehicles stopping unexpectedly to view the scene.
  • Space cushion is the void space around you. Following distance - city 2 seconds, highway 4 seconds. If bad conditions then city 4 seconds and highway 6 seconds.
  • Traffic circles are so you don't have to stop, there are no lights. The traffic on the left have the right of way. If you are leaving at first exit point then enter into the right hand lane. If you are going to the second exit or beyond then use the left hand lane.
  • Hand signals are arm straight out horizontal left turn, are crooked up and fingers pointing at sky right turn and hand down side of vehicle means you will stop.
  • Right turns - be in your proper lane at least 15m from the intersection.
  • You must come to a full stop when making a right turn on a red light.
  • Left turns - there are a lot of car crashes resulting from improper left turns.
  • Left turn two-way into a two-way is done by turn from the lane nearest the centre line into the lane nearest the centre line.
  • Left turn - two-way into a a one-way is done by turn from the lane nearest the centre line into curb on the left-hand side.
  • Left turn - one-way into a two-way is done by starting turn from left lane nearest the left-hand side of the road into the lane nearest the centre line.
  • Left turn - one-way into a one-way turn from the lane nearest the left-hand side of the road into the lane closest to the left-hand side. You can do this turn on a red light after you have come to a full stop and it is safe to do so if there are no prohibitive signs.
  • U-turns outside urban areas are not permitted on a curve or near the crest of a hill where the driver of another vehicle cannot see your vehicle. In urban areas you cannot do a U-turn on a roadway between intersections, where a sign prohibits, at an intersection where there is traffic lights or at any alley intersection.
  • School bus stopped on a secondary road - every car both sides of road must stop 20m away from the bus.
  • Over-driving your headlights is when you speed is higher then your stopping distance.
  • A weave zone is crisscross traffic where one lane is used for entry and exit and no one has the right of way over the other.
  • A broken yellow line is reversal lane - traffic can change during flow of traffic depending on time of day.
  • Road marking definition - white line is traffic traveling in same direction.
  • Yellow line is traffic traveling in opposite directions.
  • Adverse conditions include rain, snow, fog, wind and sunshine. Slow down.
  • Fog - slow down and use your low beam lights because high beam will just bounce off ice particles and straight into your eyes.
  • Rain - slow down - danger is hydroplaning when it first starts to rain there is a great chance of hydroplane. You need to have good tires and hopefully have already reduced speed. Pump your brakes so things dry out and make sure you have good rubber on the windshield wipers.
  • Night driving - low visibility, animals, drunk drivers and part of the dangers. Be sure you have enough rest and take plenty of brakes if you have to do night driving.
  • Danger zones for time you are driving - night - dusk to dawn beginning one hour after sunset. Morning - one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset.
  • Headlights - high beams - there should be a space of 150m behind and 300m in front of you (oncoming vehicles). When you see a vehicle's tail lights then you know that you are close. If your headlights fail first turn the switch on and off. If that does not work then turn on your hazard lights. Slow down and pull off the road in a safe place.
  • Use your night mirror setting to avoid glare from oncoming traffic headlights.
  • Brake failure - first thing is to pump your brakes and if that doesn't work then downshift. Use your emergency brake and if you have cannot stop then aim for the ditch rather then an obstacle.
  • Flat tire - be aware that your vehicle will pull in the direction of the flat tire. Slow down, take your foot off the gas and attempt to keep your vehicle straight by holding onto the wheel with a firm grip. When you have vehicle under control and speed is reduced then you apply the brake with a steady, gentle pressure. Look for a safe spot to pull off the road and turn on your hazard warning lights.
  • You call the police to an accident if there is an injury, over $1,000 in damage or if there have been any signs knocked down.
  • Legal limit is under .08 BAC unless you are a GDL driver then there is zero tolerance and you will lose license for one month for any result above zero. You cannot drink at all.
  • Conviction for DUI is one year suspension if you are a non-GDL driver.
  • Standard drink equals a bottle of beer, a four ounce glass of wine or 1-1/4 ounces of hard liquor. The formula is one hour recovery time for each drink but your metabolism can change that. If you plan on driving, don't drink.


These are some of the questions you might encounter on a driver test. Each province has its own rules and regulations so be sure to look for what applies to your situation.

multiplechoice.jpg