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The Official MTO Driver's Handbook
Now drivers and recent residents to Ontario require the information in this book to obtain a license for a car, van or smal truck. It's a handy reference guide for experienced drivers too. And this revised version has new safety and environmental information. Plus it's two-books-in-one, with off-road and trailer information- covering snowmobiles, mopeds, trailers, dune buggies, dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles.
215 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
53 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
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July 23, 2021While being highly recommended, this book wasn’t a very good read. In fact, it was almost painful to get through. The plot was so poorly written that it simply ceased to exist entirely. I had been hoping it would end up being an enemies-to-lovers type story, but the lack of well written and planned out characters, lack of characters in general actually, left me wholly disappointed. The world building was likely the most skilled and developed part of the book, as things were described in detail, many of which with pictures to enhance the readers understanding.
May 12, 2023
Not gonna lie, this wasn’t the book for me. There was no plot, very little characters, and the ones that exist, such as Traffic Light, are boring and half developped. It shows literally three characteristics the whole book and it literally states it outright. Show, don’t tell. The writing was boring, and lacked adjectifs in my opinion
There were drawings, though, which saved the book for me
Chapter 3 is a series of comics that I enjoyed a lot. It was much more brief
There were drawings, though, which saved the book for me
Chapter 3 is a series of comics that I enjoyed a lot. It was much more brief
Read
September 11, 2020This is a book and I read it.
July 27, 2018
honestly, this books deserves 10 stars. it is just such an amazing book full of adventure, and even romance. the plot twists in this book had me so shook. this book is just so inspiring and it has taught me to be more loving and caring and that sometimes you have to just break the rules. this book is a must read
December 31, 2018
Notes:
- While you are taking the test, the examiner will be watching to see how well you control your vehicle and perform such driving tasks as starting, stopping, turning, parallel parking and three-point turning. The examiner will check your observation skills, including when and how often you use the mirrors, where you look, and how you respond to traffic, signs, pavement markings and possible hazards.
- You will be tested on how well you manage the space around your vehicle, your ability to make safe lane changes and how closely you follow and stop behind other vehicles. How you communicate with other road users, using turn signals and brake lights and making eye contact with other drivers and pedestrians, will also be noted, as well as the correctness of your driving decisions, such as knowing when to yield the right-of-way. Learn more about Level Two road test.
The written test may ask you about:
- Seatbelts
- Traffic signs and lights
- Emergency vehicles
- How to use headlights
- Speed limits
- Getting on or off a freeway
- What drivers must do when they meet streetcars and school buses
- Driver licence suspensions
- The demerit point system
- Passing other vehicles
- Collision reporting
- Sharing the road with other road users
- Rules of the road
The road tests will test how well you use your knowledge while driving. You will be tested on:
- Starting, stopping and turning
- Traffic signs and lights
- Passing vehicles, including bicycles, and driving in passing lanes
- Travelling through controlled and uncontrolled intersections
- Parallel parking and reversing
- Foreseeing hazardous conditions and being ready for them
- Other safe driving practices
- Everyone is responsible for avoiding collisions. Even if someone else does something wrong, you may be found responsible for a collision if you could have done something to avoid it.
- Before you drive, make sure you are comfortable with your physical, mental and emotional state, your vehicle and the conditions in which you will be driving.
- You should be able to see the ground 4 metres in front of the vehicle.
- On some vehicles the blind spot is so large that a vehicle could be there and you would not see it.
- All passengers must be buckled up in their own seatbelt, child car seat or booster seat.
- The safest place for a child under age 13 is in the back seat.
- When you use high-beam headlights, remember to switch to low beams within 150 metres of an oncoming vehicle. Use your low beams when you are less than 60 metres behind another vehicle unless you are passing it. These rules apply to all roads, including divided ones.
- Headlights are required to be turned on between 0:30 hour before sunset and 0:30 hour after sunrise, and any other time of poor light conditions, such as fog, snow or rain, which keeps you from clearly seeing people or vehicles less than 150 metres away.
- All steering should be smooth and precise. You should do most steering and lane changes without taking either hand off the wheel. You must be able to steer in a straight line while shifting gears, adjusting controls or checking your blind spot.
- Where there are no posted speed limits, the maximum speed is 50 km/h in cities, towns and villages, and 80 km/h elsewhere.
- Some circumstances in which cruise control should not be used, such as adverse driving conditions (wet, icy or slippery roads), in heavy traffic or when you are feeling fatigued.
- As a general rule, drive at the same speed as traffic around you without going over the speed limit.
- A safe following distance is at least 2 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you.
- Watch out for Community Safety Zone signs as they indicate areas where the community has identified that there is a special risk to pedestrians.
- When passing a cyclist, drivers of motor vehicles are required to maintain a minimum distance of 1 metre, where practical between their vehicle and the cyclist.
- When turning right, signal and check your mirrors and the blind spot to your right to make sure you do not cut off a cyclist.
- When turning left, you must stop and wait for oncoming bicycles to pass before turning.
- If two vehicles come to an uncontrolled intersection from different roads at the same time, the driver on the left must let the driver on the right go first.
- Don't pass moving snow plows under any conditions.
- Passing within 30 metres of a pedestrian crossover is not permitted. Passing left of a centreline is not permitted 30 metres from a bridge, viaduct or tunnel.
- Never park on a curve, hill or anywhere you do not have a clear view for at least 125 metres in both directions.
- Do not park within 3 metres of a fire hydrant, on or within 100 metres of a bridge or within 6 metres of a public entrance to a hotel, theatre or public hall when it is open to the public.
- Do not park within 9 metres of an intersection or within 15 metres if it is controlled by traffic lights.
- Do not park within 15 metres of the nearest rail of a level railway crossing.
- it is illegal to follow within 150 metres of a fire vehicle responding to an alarm.
- Licence plates in Ontario are based on a plate-to-owner system.
- G1 lasts 12 months. alcohol zero. accompanied by 4 years driver. No highway. You must not drive between midnight and 5AM.
- G2 lasts 12 months. alcohol zero. You must not drive between midnight and 5AM.
- In the first 6 months after receiving your G2 licence, you are allowed to carry only 1 passenger aged 19 or under.
- After 6 months with your G2 licence and until you obtain your full G licence or turn 20, you are allowed to carry up to 3 passengers aged 19 or under.
- Failing to respond to an emergency vehicle
- First Offence: $400 to $2,000, plus 3 demerit points upon conviction.
- Second Offence (within 5 years): $1,000 to $4,000, possible jail time up to 6 months and possible suspension of driver's licence for up to 2 years.
- If you are 80 years of age or older, you are required to renew your driver's licence every 2 years
- Demerit points stay on your record for 2 years from the date of the offence. If you accumulate too many demerit points, your driver's licence can be suspended.
G1 and G2 points:
- 2 points Warning letter
- 6 points You may have to attend an interview to discuss your record and give reasons why your licence should not be suspended. If you do not go to the interview, your licence may be suspended.
- 9 points Your licence will be suspended for 60 days from the date you surrender it to the Ministry of Transportation. You can lose your licence for up to 2 years if you fail to surrender your licence. After the suspension, the number of points on your record will be reduced to 4. Any extra points could again bring you to the interview level. If you reach 9 points again, your licence may be suspended for 6 months.
- As a Level One or Level Two driver, you will have your licence suspended if you accumulate 9 or more demerit points during a 2-year period.
- Note: If you are a novice driver and are convicted of violating any novice condition, an offence that is associated with 4 or more demerit points or receive a court-ordered suspension for an offence that would have resulted in 4 or more demerit points, you will receive the appropriate penalty and Novice Driver Escalating Sanction licence suspension. However, the demerit points will be recorded as zero on your record, and will not be counted towards the accumulated demerit point system.
Fully licensed drivers - demerit-point system for fully licensed drivers
- 6 points
- You will receive a warning letter recommending that you improve your driving skills.
- 9 points
- You may have to go to an interview to discuss your record and give reasons why your licence should not be suspended. You may also have to complete a driver re-examination. If you fail this test, your licence can be cancelled. If you fail to attend an interview, or fail to give good reasons for keeping your licence, your licence may be suspended.
- 15 points
- Your licence will be suspended for 30 days from the date you hand over your licence to the Ministry of Transportation. You can lose your lice4nce for up to 2 years if you fail to surrender it. After the suspension, the number of points on your driver's record will be reduced to seven. Any extra points could again bring you to the interview level. If you reach 15 points again, your licence will be suspended for 6 months.
7 points
* Failing to remain at the scene of a collision
* Failing to stop for police
6 points
* Careless driving
* Racing
* Exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h or more
* Failing to stop for a school bus
5 points
* Driver of bus failing to stop at unprotected railway crossing
4 points
* Exceeding the speed limit by 30 to 49 km/h
* Following too closely
3 points
* Exceeding the speed limit by 16 to 29 km/h
* Driving through, around or under a railway crossing barrier
* Driving while holding or using a hand-held wireless communications/entertainment device or viewing a display screen unrelated to the driving task
* Failing to yield the right-of-way
* Failing to obey a stop sign, traffic light or railway crossing signal
* Failing to obey traffic control stop sign
* Failing to obey traffic control slow sign
* Failing to obey school crossing stop sign
* Failing to obey the directions of a police officer
* Driving the wrong way on a divided road
* Failing to report a collision to a police officer
* Improper driving where road is divided into lanes
* Crowding the driver's seat
* Going the wrong way on a one-way road
* Driving or operating a vehicle on a closed road
* Crossing a divided road where no proper crossing is provided
* Failing to slow and carefully pass a stopped emergency vehicle
* Failing to stop at a pedestrian crossover
* Failing to move, where possible, into another lane when passing a stopped emergency vehicle
* Driving a vehicle equipped with a radar detector
* Improper use of a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane
2 points
* Failing to lower headlight beam
* Improper opening of a vehicle door
* Prohibited turns
* Towing people - on toboggans, bicycles, skis, for example
* Failing to obey signs
* Failing to share the road
* Improper right turn
* Improper left turn
* Failing to signal
* Unnecessary slow driving
* Reversing on a highway
* Driver failing to wear a seatbelt
* Driver failing to ensure infant passenger is secured
* Driver failing to ensure toddler passenger is secured
* Driver failing to ensure child is secured
* Driver failing to ensure passenger under 16 years is wearing seatbelt
* Driver failing to ensure passenger under 16 years is occupying a position with a seatbelt
- While you are taking the test, the examiner will be watching to see how well you control your vehicle and perform such driving tasks as starting, stopping, turning, parallel parking and three-point turning. The examiner will check your observation skills, including when and how often you use the mirrors, where you look, and how you respond to traffic, signs, pavement markings and possible hazards.
- You will be tested on how well you manage the space around your vehicle, your ability to make safe lane changes and how closely you follow and stop behind other vehicles. How you communicate with other road users, using turn signals and brake lights and making eye contact with other drivers and pedestrians, will also be noted, as well as the correctness of your driving decisions, such as knowing when to yield the right-of-way. Learn more about Level Two road test.
The written test may ask you about:
- Seatbelts
- Traffic signs and lights
- Emergency vehicles
- How to use headlights
- Speed limits
- Getting on or off a freeway
- What drivers must do when they meet streetcars and school buses
- Driver licence suspensions
- The demerit point system
- Passing other vehicles
- Collision reporting
- Sharing the road with other road users
- Rules of the road
The road tests will test how well you use your knowledge while driving. You will be tested on:
- Starting, stopping and turning
- Traffic signs and lights
- Passing vehicles, including bicycles, and driving in passing lanes
- Travelling through controlled and uncontrolled intersections
- Parallel parking and reversing
- Foreseeing hazardous conditions and being ready for them
- Other safe driving practices
- Everyone is responsible for avoiding collisions. Even if someone else does something wrong, you may be found responsible for a collision if you could have done something to avoid it.
- Before you drive, make sure you are comfortable with your physical, mental and emotional state, your vehicle and the conditions in which you will be driving.
- You should be able to see the ground 4 metres in front of the vehicle.
- On some vehicles the blind spot is so large that a vehicle could be there and you would not see it.
- All passengers must be buckled up in their own seatbelt, child car seat or booster seat.
- The safest place for a child under age 13 is in the back seat.
- When you use high-beam headlights, remember to switch to low beams within 150 metres of an oncoming vehicle. Use your low beams when you are less than 60 metres behind another vehicle unless you are passing it. These rules apply to all roads, including divided ones.
- Headlights are required to be turned on between 0:30 hour before sunset and 0:30 hour after sunrise, and any other time of poor light conditions, such as fog, snow or rain, which keeps you from clearly seeing people or vehicles less than 150 metres away.
- All steering should be smooth and precise. You should do most steering and lane changes without taking either hand off the wheel. You must be able to steer in a straight line while shifting gears, adjusting controls or checking your blind spot.
- Where there are no posted speed limits, the maximum speed is 50 km/h in cities, towns and villages, and 80 km/h elsewhere.
- Some circumstances in which cruise control should not be used, such as adverse driving conditions (wet, icy or slippery roads), in heavy traffic or when you are feeling fatigued.
- As a general rule, drive at the same speed as traffic around you without going over the speed limit.
- A safe following distance is at least 2 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you.
- Watch out for Community Safety Zone signs as they indicate areas where the community has identified that there is a special risk to pedestrians.
- When passing a cyclist, drivers of motor vehicles are required to maintain a minimum distance of 1 metre, where practical between their vehicle and the cyclist.
- When turning right, signal and check your mirrors and the blind spot to your right to make sure you do not cut off a cyclist.
- When turning left, you must stop and wait for oncoming bicycles to pass before turning.
- If two vehicles come to an uncontrolled intersection from different roads at the same time, the driver on the left must let the driver on the right go first.
- Don't pass moving snow plows under any conditions.
- Passing within 30 metres of a pedestrian crossover is not permitted. Passing left of a centreline is not permitted 30 metres from a bridge, viaduct or tunnel.
- Never park on a curve, hill or anywhere you do not have a clear view for at least 125 metres in both directions.
- Do not park within 3 metres of a fire hydrant, on or within 100 metres of a bridge or within 6 metres of a public entrance to a hotel, theatre or public hall when it is open to the public.
- Do not park within 9 metres of an intersection or within 15 metres if it is controlled by traffic lights.
- Do not park within 15 metres of the nearest rail of a level railway crossing.
- it is illegal to follow within 150 metres of a fire vehicle responding to an alarm.
- Licence plates in Ontario are based on a plate-to-owner system.
- G1 lasts 12 months. alcohol zero. accompanied by 4 years driver. No highway. You must not drive between midnight and 5AM.
- G2 lasts 12 months. alcohol zero. You must not drive between midnight and 5AM.
- In the first 6 months after receiving your G2 licence, you are allowed to carry only 1 passenger aged 19 or under.
- After 6 months with your G2 licence and until you obtain your full G licence or turn 20, you are allowed to carry up to 3 passengers aged 19 or under.
- Failing to respond to an emergency vehicle
- First Offence: $400 to $2,000, plus 3 demerit points upon conviction.
- Second Offence (within 5 years): $1,000 to $4,000, possible jail time up to 6 months and possible suspension of driver's licence for up to 2 years.
- If you are 80 years of age or older, you are required to renew your driver's licence every 2 years
- Demerit points stay on your record for 2 years from the date of the offence. If you accumulate too many demerit points, your driver's licence can be suspended.
G1 and G2 points:
- 2 points Warning letter
- 6 points You may have to attend an interview to discuss your record and give reasons why your licence should not be suspended. If you do not go to the interview, your licence may be suspended.
- 9 points Your licence will be suspended for 60 days from the date you surrender it to the Ministry of Transportation. You can lose your licence for up to 2 years if you fail to surrender your licence. After the suspension, the number of points on your record will be reduced to 4. Any extra points could again bring you to the interview level. If you reach 9 points again, your licence may be suspended for 6 months.
- As a Level One or Level Two driver, you will have your licence suspended if you accumulate 9 or more demerit points during a 2-year period.
- Note: If you are a novice driver and are convicted of violating any novice condition, an offence that is associated with 4 or more demerit points or receive a court-ordered suspension for an offence that would have resulted in 4 or more demerit points, you will receive the appropriate penalty and Novice Driver Escalating Sanction licence suspension. However, the demerit points will be recorded as zero on your record, and will not be counted towards the accumulated demerit point system.
Fully licensed drivers - demerit-point system for fully licensed drivers
- 6 points
- You will receive a warning letter recommending that you improve your driving skills.
- 9 points
- You may have to go to an interview to discuss your record and give reasons why your licence should not be suspended. You may also have to complete a driver re-examination. If you fail this test, your licence can be cancelled. If you fail to attend an interview, or fail to give good reasons for keeping your licence, your licence may be suspended.
- 15 points
- Your licence will be suspended for 30 days from the date you hand over your licence to the Ministry of Transportation. You can lose your lice4nce for up to 2 years if you fail to surrender it. After the suspension, the number of points on your driver's record will be reduced to seven. Any extra points could again bring you to the interview level. If you reach 15 points again, your licence will be suspended for 6 months.
7 points
* Failing to remain at the scene of a collision
* Failing to stop for police
6 points
* Careless driving
* Racing
* Exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h or more
* Failing to stop for a school bus
5 points
* Driver of bus failing to stop at unprotected railway crossing
4 points
* Exceeding the speed limit by 30 to 49 km/h
* Following too closely
3 points
* Exceeding the speed limit by 16 to 29 km/h
* Driving through, around or under a railway crossing barrier
* Driving while holding or using a hand-held wireless communications/entertainment device or viewing a display screen unrelated to the driving task
* Failing to yield the right-of-way
* Failing to obey a stop sign, traffic light or railway crossing signal
* Failing to obey traffic control stop sign
* Failing to obey traffic control slow sign
* Failing to obey school crossing stop sign
* Failing to obey the directions of a police officer
* Driving the wrong way on a divided road
* Failing to report a collision to a police officer
* Improper driving where road is divided into lanes
* Crowding the driver's seat
* Going the wrong way on a one-way road
* Driving or operating a vehicle on a closed road
* Crossing a divided road where no proper crossing is provided
* Failing to slow and carefully pass a stopped emergency vehicle
* Failing to stop at a pedestrian crossover
* Failing to move, where possible, into another lane when passing a stopped emergency vehicle
* Driving a vehicle equipped with a radar detector
* Improper use of a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane
2 points
* Failing to lower headlight beam
* Improper opening of a vehicle door
* Prohibited turns
* Towing people - on toboggans, bicycles, skis, for example
* Failing to obey signs
* Failing to share the road
* Improper right turn
* Improper left turn
* Failing to signal
* Unnecessary slow driving
* Reversing on a highway
* Driver failing to wear a seatbelt
* Driver failing to ensure infant passenger is secured
* Driver failing to ensure toddler passenger is secured
* Driver failing to ensure child is secured
* Driver failing to ensure passenger under 16 years is wearing seatbelt
* Driver failing to ensure passenger under 16 years is occupying a position with a seatbelt
January 4, 2022
passed my g1 😽
Read
March 22, 2019Not the most interesting, but still a better coming-of-age novel than The Catcher in the Rye.
August 24, 2021
This is literally the most dreadfully boring book I've ever read in my entire life. I have yet to take my g1...HOWEVER the information is practical and useful, I do feel prepared for my test. Wish me luck😭.
July 13, 2024
Where was the smut
Read
December 29, 2022yes i did just do that
August 16, 2023
this book stressed me the hell out. lack of plot. so much word vomit and no story development and the writing felt like a clogged drain. so not for me but i will say it did teach me some valuable life lessons. wouldn’t really recommend but i understand if you read it
February 17, 2023
i mean yeah it’s boring but i got my g1 so
January 14, 2023
the Ontario govt flopped on this one
May 26, 2023
Vehicles. A revolutionary invention that completely restructured the transportation industry. What used to take hours, and influenced journey logs and adventurous stories can now be replaced with 2 pedals (3 if you're a man) and 4 wheels. The beast that is "car" is not easily tamed, and there is nothing more helpful, than "The Official MTO Driver's Handbook." Remember, the gas pedal is on the ... left ... or was it the right?
February 19, 2021
Quick, factual and to the point. Not very interesting, but who would expect it to be? The MTO manages to be clear and accurate while maintaining the brevity of the text. Most of the information presented in this handbook is extremely obvious.
March 15, 2019
lol I'm DEFINITELY going to fail
April 29, 2024
Horrible plot and character development.
I liked the pictures though.
I liked the pictures though.
July 13, 2024
boring but I got my g1 😋
Read
October 19, 2024The plot was terrible however "beneficial" it is made out to be. I passed!! :D
May 11, 2014
People are too harsh in rating this book: it is not a story with narrative but an information resource! From that perspective, it is a good book. It has the advantage that it explains almost every aspect of driving in a very clear format, in simple language (remember that it is written for the public, therefore must be understood by people of lower education). It is a great reference to just look up those rules and procedures for things you do not encounter on a regular basis I.e. Not all areas have to deal with fog very often. It has all the details, some that many don't know e.g. my colleagues did not know that a yellow sign is a warning for safety, more like recommendations, therefore yellow speed signs are not enforceable (though I am likely to follow them anyway as I am impressed with the science behind speed limits).
This book is available for free on the MTO website or is available at your local library (the odd library that doesn't have it can get it easily through inter-library loans). However, I find the book is more navigable than the website; I also like to keep it in the glove compartment just in case (FYI, some officers are impressed if you take out the book to ask what you did wrong, just as a sign of how serious you take the feedback).
This book is available for free on the MTO website or is available at your local library (the odd library that doesn't have it can get it easily through inter-library loans). However, I find the book is more navigable than the website; I also like to keep it in the glove compartment just in case (FYI, some officers are impressed if you take out the book to ask what you did wrong, just as a sign of how serious you take the feedback).
March 8, 2013
LOL@ long. This is a small handbook. And yes it is boring. However, it does achieve it's goal of providing the info you need to pass the drivers exam. Anybody who reads this book expecting anything else is ... Well... Expecting too much
September 29, 2014
Although it is necessary to read this book to pass the drivers course...it's just so damn BORING!!!!!!
May 6, 2015
lame af
July 28, 2022
Mission accomplished
April 12, 2023
I think it’s too educational not enough action!
March 15, 2023
Super boring, although the demerit system section was done well. I passed the test though so it does its job?
May 12, 2025
Not a single sex scene
Read
November 1, 2025I'm not sure if this counts as a book, but I'll put it on anyway ;)
February 19, 2023
logging this because i need everyone to know that im finally going to get my G1 and reading this book was boring enough to justify
July 24, 2025
it's a driving textbook what do u want me to say
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews