Sharing the road and winter driving in New Brunswick

By the end of this topic you can

• You can pass a cyclist with at least one metre of space.
• You can yield to pedestrians at crosswalks.
• You can react correctly to an approaching emergency vehicle.
• You can cross railway tracks safely.
• You can lower your risk of hitting a moose or deer.
• You can prepare yourself and your car for winter driving.

What you need to know and understand

• Under Ellen's Law you must leave at least one metre when passing a cyclist; breaking it can mean a $172.50 fine and 3 demerit points.
• Yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk, marked or unmarked, and never pass a vehicle that has stopped for a pedestrian at a crosswalk.
• When an emergency vehicle approaches with siren and flashing lights, pull to the right and stop until it has passed.
• It is an offence to follow within 150 metres of a fire vehicle answering an alarm.
• When rail crossing signals warn of a train, stop at least 5 metres from the nearest rail and never drive around a gate.
• More than 400 New Brunswickers are involved in moose-vehicle collisions each year, mostly between dusk and dawn and between May and October.
• The Motor Vehicle Act bans studded tires from May 1 to October 15, so they are allowed only from mid-October to the end of April. Some provincial pages round these dates slightly differently.
• Keep back about 30 metres from snowplows, and do not pass a plow that is working.

Moose and deer: what to do

1. Slow down at night and in posted moose areas, and use high beams when no one is coming the other way.
2. Scan both sides of the road, not just the lane ahead. A moose's dark coat is hard to see and its eyes do not reflect headlights the way a deer's do.
3. If an animal appears, brake firmly and try not to swerve.
4. Swerve only if you cannot stop and there is a safe direction to go.
5. After you see one animal, expect more.
6. Report a collision with a moose or deer to the RCMP.

Big vehicles and vulnerable people

• Large trucks have large blind spots and need much more distance to stop. If you cannot see the driver's mirrors, the driver cannot see you.
• Do not cut in front of a truck after passing it, and give it room on turns.
• Farm machinery and other slow vehicles show an orange triangle; slow down early and pass only where it is legal and clear.
• Look for cyclists before opening a car door and before turning right across a bike lane.
• Give extra time to pedestrians with disabilities and take great care near anyone using a white cane.

Winter habits that work

Fit four winter tires, keep them properly inflated, and clear snow and ice from every window, mirror and light before you leave. Slow down, leave a much larger following gap than the two seconds you use in good weather, and brake gently. Watch bridges, overpasses and shaded areas, which freeze first.

Keep your tank at least half full and carry a winter kit with warm clothes, a blanket, a shovel, a scraper, a flashlight and snacks. Check road conditions with New Brunswick 511 before long trips.

Common mistakes

• Squeezing past a cyclist when there is oncoming traffic. Wait until you can give one metre.
• Swerving hard for a moose and losing control. Brake firmly first.
• Starting across railway tracks in slow traffic without room to clear them on the other side.
• Passing a working snowplow in a cloud of snow.
• Assuming winter driving means only snow. Black ice can form on clear-looking roads.

Test yourself: Sharing the road and winter driving in New Brunswick

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• New Brunswick Road Test
• Getting a Driver’s Licence in New Brunswick
• New Brunswick Demerit Points and Zero Tolerance for New Drivers