Rules of the road

More resources#

Drive in Ontario: visitors

Particularities of Driving in Québec

License and insurance#

• As a visitor, your state's driver's license will be accepted
• US auto insurance works in Canada (but you should check that yours works)

Required documents:

• proof of insurance
• vehicle ownership/registration
• driver's license

Safety laws#

• Wearing a seatbelt is mandatory
• Using devices is only allowed if hands-free or the engine is off
  • You can get in trouble for merely looking like you're using your phone while driving, even if you're actually not
• Don't drive while intoxicated, obviously

Lanes#

• On multi-lane roads, keep right to leave the left lane for passing
• You can't pass on the right (some people will do this but you definitely shouldn't)
• Yield to buses entering your lane

Traffic lights#

• You can turn right on a red light if you first fully stop and ensure it's safe to move
  • It's not allowed on the island of Montreal
• You can turn left on a red light if your street and the cross street are both one-way

Signage#

Signs in Canada use more symbols and fewer words. They otherwise look similar to signs in the US.

• Signs reference from Ontario's Driver's Handbook
• Signs reference for Quebec (the signs look pretty much the same as Ontario's)

French words you may see on the highway#

French	English
sortie	exit
gauche, droite	left, right
nord, sud, est, ouest	north, south, east, west
arrêt	stop
vitesse	speed
lent, lentement	slow, slowly
voie	lane
début, fin	begins, ends
fermé, barré	closed
interdit	prohibited
péage	toll
dernière sortie avant péage	last exit before toll
(X) quand les feux clignotent	(X) in effect while lights are flashing