Frequently Asked Questions
Steps Required to Become a Fully Licensed Driver in Ontario
As of September 1, 2005
How do I enter the first stage (Class G1)?
- Be at least 16
- Take a vision test
- Take a driving knowledge test
How long will I be in the G1 stage?
- You will be in the G1 stage for 12 month.
- This can be reduced to 8 months if you successfully complete a ministry-approved beginner driver education course.
- You can leave the G1 stage no earlier than age 16 years and eight months.
- You must finish both the G1 stage and the G2 stage within five years.
What are the restrictions while I am in the G1 stage?
- You must drive with an accompanying driver who
- has to be a fully licensed driver with at least four years of experience
- a blood alcohol level of less than .05
- who is the only other person in the front seat.
- You cannot have more people in the back seat than you have working seatbelts.
- You cannot drive on 400-series highways or other high-speed expressways such as,
- the Queen Elizabeth Way, Don Valley Parkway, Gardiner Expressway, E.C. Row Expressway
- the Conestoga Parkway, unless you are with a licensed driving instructor.
- You cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m.
- You cannot drink when you are driving – your blood alcohol must be zero.
What else should I know about the G1 stage?
- If you get two demerit points, you will receive a warning letter.
- If you get six demerit points, you may have to go for an interview.
- If you get nine demerit points, your licence will be suspended for 60 days.
- You can also get a 30-day suspension if you get a ticket for a violation of your licence use conditions.
How do I move through the G2 stage?
- To enter the G2 stage, you must pass the Class G2 road test.
- You must be in the G2 stage for 12 months.
- You cannot drink when you are driving – your blood alcohol must be zero.
- You must not have more passengers in the vehicle than the number of working seatbelts.
- If you are 19 or under, the number of young passengers you can carry is limited between midnight to 5 a.m.
- For the first six months, G2 drivers 19 or under can carry only one passenger aged 19 or under.
- After the first six months, and until you earn a full G licence or turn 20, you can carry only three passengers aged 19 or under.
- These restrictions do not apply if a full G-licensed driver with at least four years’ experience accompanies you in the front seat, or if your passengers are immediate family members.
What else should I know about the G2 stage?
- If you get two demerit points, you will receive a warning letter.
- If you get six demerit points, you may have to go for an interview.
- If you get nine demerit points, your licence will be suspended for 60 days.
- You can also get a 30-day suspension if you get a ticket for a violation of your licence use conditions.
- To graduate to a full G licence, you must pass the Class G road test. The earliest you can do this is age 17 years and 8 months.
More information at Ministry of Transportation (MTO).
No Fault Insurance in Ontario
Do I deal with my own insurance company?
- No fault coverage pays for some or all of the insured person’s loss regardless of who caused that loss. With no fault insurance, you would look to your insurance company to pay your claim, even if the other driver caused the accident.
- No fault insurance really means that if you are injured or your car is damaged in an accident, you deal with your own insurance company, regardless of who is at fault. You don’t have to go after the at fault driver for vehicle damage reports and for the health care and income replacement benefits to which you are entitled.
- For example, if you were injured in a car collision, you would be able to access any medical benefits offered under your policy immediately from your company, even if you were to blame for the accident. You can get the help you need right away, instead of having to wait for the insurance companies to decide who was at fault before paying out any benefits.
Does it matter who caused the accident?
- You certainly can't be blamed for being confused about the term "no fault" insurance – it’s a commonly misunderstood term. No fault insurance doesn't mean the insurance company lets you off the hook if you cause an accident. Despite the misleading name, it does matter who caused the accident. If you are found to be at fault, either completely or partially, it will go on your insurance record and you will have to pay the penalty. That means you may experience an increase in future premiums.
Can fault in an automobile accident be shared?
- Yes. The circumstances of an accident may show more than one driver was partially at fault for insurance purposes. Fault is allocated to each driver based on which accident scenario most closely resembles the accident. If the accident is not described by any of the scenarios, then fault is allocated according to the rules of negligence law.
How does your insurance company assess fault?
- Someone is always determined to be “at fault” in an automobile accident, whether partially or completely. Insurance companies must determine the degree of fault to be assigned to each driver to ensure the at fault driver’s premiums are adjusted appropriately.
- In Quebec and Ontario, charts or rules are used to determine fault or responsibility for claims, but not for injury claims. In Ontario, the fault determination rules are set out in government regulation. The regulations contain examples of common types of collisions and describe how fault is assigned for insurance purposes. These regulations help insurance companies provide consumers with prompt claims handling and fair, consistent treatment. After you report an accident to your insurer, the company will investigate the circumstances of the accident and then make a fault decision based on these rules.
- Fault dertemination rules.
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