Sharing the road and winter driving in Northwest Territories

By the end of this topic you can

• You can yield correctly to pedestrians and pass cyclists safely.
• You can stay out of a large vehicle's blind spots and leave extra space.
• You can react correctly to emergency vehicles, snowplows and railway crossings.
• You can reduce the risk of hitting wildlife and prepare for winter travel.

What you need to know and understand

• You must stop for a pedestrian in a marked or unmarked crosswalk and must not pass a vehicle stopped for one.
• A cyclist riding is treated as a vehicle; a cyclist walking a bike is a pedestrian.
• For a siren and flashing lights, clear the intersection, pull to the right and stop until the vehicle passes.
• Leave at least four seconds behind log-haul trucks, and never pass one that is turning.
• At a railway crossing with flashing lights, stop no closer than five metres from the nearest rail.
• Use headlights at night and whenever you cannot see clearly 150 metres ahead.
• It is illegal to drive with windows blocked by frost, snow, mud or steam.
• Do not use cruise control on poor roads.

People on foot and on bikes

Stop before the crosswalk when a pedestrian has entered it or has signalled they want to cross, and stop far enough back that drivers in other lanes can see them too. Nearly every intersection has a crosswalk even if it is not painted.

Pass cyclists as you would a car, leaving plenty of room. Shoulder check for bikes before right turns and before pulling away from the curb, and check before you open your door. Avoid using your horn close to a cyclist.

Big vehicles, plows and trains

• If you cannot see a truck's side mirrors, the driver cannot see you.
• Stay back from snowplows; they pull over regularly to let traffic pass.
• On gravel roads, move right when a log-haul truck approaches, and expect stones and dust.
• Never try to beat a train. A train may need a kilometre or more to stop.
• At a railway stop sign, stop between five and fifteen metres from the nearest rail.
• If your vehicle stalls on the tracks, get everyone out and away at once.

Wildlife and winter

Scan the roadsides, especially at dawn and dusk, and watch for eyes shining in your headlights. If you see one animal, expect more. Brake firmly but do not slam on the brakes or swerve wildly; a crash with oncoming traffic is often worse than hitting the animal.

Before winter, check your battery, tires, wipers, exhaust and heater, and carry an emergency kit with warm clothing, blankets, food, a shovel, a flashlight, booster cables, a tow rope and a phone. If you are stranded, it is usually best to stay with the vehicle, run the engine only enough to keep warm and open a window slightly to avoid carbon monoxide. Watch for black ice on bridges, in shade and at intersections. The deeper guide to driving NWT ice roads, gravel highways and northern winters has more.

Common mistakes

• Passing a vehicle that has slowed near a crosswalk. It may be stopping for a pedestrian you cannot see.
• Following a truck or plow too closely on gravel or snow. Drop well back.
• Driving around lowered railway gates. Never cross while gates are down or moving.
• Leaving town in winter without a kit or a full tank. Plan for long distances with no services.

Test yourself: Sharing the road and winter driving in Northwest Territories

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

Go deeper

• How to Get a Driver’s Licence in the NWT
• NWT Knowledge Test and Road Test