Photo: Transportfan70, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In Ontario you pass a streetcar on the right (unless you are on a one-way road) and stop at least 2 metres behind its rear doors while passengers get on or off. This guide sets out that rule and the other sharing-the-road rules in the MTO handbook: the 1-metre cyclist passing law, trucks, buses, farm machinery and horse-drawn buggies. Each section says what to do, so you can use it for G1 study and real driving.
Key facts
- Streetcars: pass on the right; stop 2 metres behind the rear doors at stops without a passenger island.
- Cyclists: leave at least 1 metre when passing, where practical. Breaking this rule means a fine and 2 demerit points.
- Slow-moving vehicle sign: orange triangle with a red border, meaning 40 km/h or less.
- Pedestrian crossovers: wait until people have crossed the whole road.
- School bus with red lights flashing: stop at least 20 metres behind it.
Streetcars: Ontario rules for Toronto drivers
- Passing: pass streetcars on the right. You may pass on the left only on a one-way road.
- At a stop: stop at least 2 metres behind the rear doors while passengers board or leave, and wait.
- Safety islands: where a stop has a separate island or zone for passengers, you do not have to stop. Pass at a reasonable speed and expect people to move suddenly.
- Tracks: cross streetcar or railway tracks at a 90° angle, which matters most for cyclists.
- Transit signals: a white vertical bar signal is for transit vehicles. Other traffic must yield to them.
Cyclists
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Passing a cyclist | Change lanes if you can. Leave at least 1 metre where practical. Penalty: fine and 2 demerit points. |
| Cyclist moves within their lane | They are avoiding hazards or making themselves seen. It is not an invitation to pass in the same lane. |
| Following | Leave extra space. Bicycles have no brake lights. |
| Turning right across a bike lane | Check your right blind spot, enter the bike lane only when safe, then turn. |
| Turning left | Wait for oncoming bicycles to pass. |
| Bike box at a light | Stop behind it, not in it. |
| Opening your door | Check mirrors and blind spot. Use the “Dutch reach”: open the driver’s door with your right hand so you turn to look. |
| Horn | Avoid it. If you must, tap lightly while still some distance away. |
Slower cyclists ride about 1 metre from the curb or parked cars, but they may use any part of the lane they need for safety. E-bikes and e-scooters are also appearing on Ontario roads, so treat them the same way.
Pedestrians
- Never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk. Someone may be crossing in front of it.
- At pedestrian crossovers, school crossings and where a crossing guard is working, stop and yield the entire road. Details and penalties are in driving through Ontario intersections.
- People using motorized wheelchairs and medical scooters are pedestrians.
- Take extra care near seniors, people with disabilities, and anyone using a white cane or guide dog. Hybrid and electric cars make little noise when slowing, which is harder for people with low vision to detect.
Motorcycles, mopeds and limited-speed motorcycles
- They are hard to see. Check twice before turning or changing lanes.
- A motorcycle is entitled to a full lane. Pass it by changing lanes.
- Turn signals on motorcycles may not cancel automatically. Do not pull out until you are sure the rider is actually turning.
- Waiting behind one to turn left? Do not pull alongside it.
Large trucks and buses
- Blind spots: if you cannot see the driver’s face in their side mirror, they cannot see you.
- Right turns: trucks swing wide. Stay well back and do not move into the space beside the truck until it has cleared the corner.
- Stopped behind one: leave room, because it may roll back when it starts.
- Passing: trucks need far longer to stop, so leave more room before cutting back in. Expect turbulence and spray.
- Freeways: on many with three or more lanes each way, trucks may not use the far left lane.
- Municipal buses: when a bus in a bus bay signals left to pull out, let it back into traffic.
Farm machinery and the slow-moving vehicle sign
The slow-moving vehicle sign is an orange triangle with a red border. It means the vehicle travels at 40 km/h or less.
- Most tractors and combines go no faster than 40 km/h, and slower when towing.
- Slow down early. Stay well back so the operator can see you.
- Pass only when the road ahead is clear and passing is legal. Farm equipment may be wide or about to turn into a field.
- Expect farm vehicles after dark at planting and harvest time.
Horse-drawn vehicles
Buggies are among the slowest vehicles on Ontario roads and usually travel on the shoulder. Look for the slow-moving vehicle sign and reflective tape.
- Keep a safe following distance.
- When passing, leave as much space as you can and avoid sudden noise, so you do not startle the horse.
- When one approaches from the other direction, move to the far right of your lane.
School buses, snow plows and emergency vehicles
- School bus, amber lights flashing: slow down and prepare to stop. Red lights or stop arm: stop, at least 20 metres back if you are behind it. On a road with a median, only traffic behind the bus stops. Fines and the rules in other provinces: school bus stopping rules across Canada.
- Snow plows: never pass a moving snow plow.
- Emergency vehicles and tow trucks: see slow down, move over.
- Flashing green lights: volunteer firefighters and volunteer medical responders may show a flashing green light on their own vehicles. The handbook asks you to yield to them.
Passing other vehicles safely
- Signal left, check that the way is clear ahead and behind, and watch for cyclists, small vehicles, left-turning traffic and anyone pulling out.
- Return to your lane only when you can see the whole front of the vehicle you passed in your inside mirror, and signal first. If it speeds up, do not race it.
- No passing within 30 metres of a pedestrian crossover, and no passing left of the centre line within 30 metres of a bridge, viaduct or tunnel. Do not pass near the top of a hill or on a curve where you cannot see oncoming traffic.
- The right shoulder may be used only to pass a vehicle turning left, and only if the shoulder is paved. Never pass on the left shoulder.
- Passing on the right is allowed on multi-lane or one-way roads, and when passing a streetcar or a vehicle turning left. Do not dart around a slower car to do it.
- When someone passes you on an undivided road, move to the right and slow down if needed.
- At night, use low beams as you come up behind a vehicle, then switch to high beams once you are alongside it.
Police stops
If police signal you to pull over, stop as far to the right as is safe, on the shoulder or a quieter side street if there is one, and stay in the vehicle. Hand over your licence, the vehicle permit (or a copy) and the insurance card when asked. There is no 24-hour grace period for producing them. Follow police directions even when they conflict with signs or signals.
Common questions
Can you pass a streetcar on the left in Toronto?
Only on a one-way road. Otherwise pass on the right, and stop 2 metres behind the rear doors at stops without a passenger island.
What is the fine for passing a cyclist too closely in Ontario?
The handbook says a fine and 2 demerit points. Check the current fine amount with the Ministry of Transportation.
Can I cross a solid line to give a cyclist 1 metre?
The handbook says to pass cyclists by changing lanes. Only do it where passing is legal and the way ahead is clear. Otherwise wait behind.
What does the orange triangle on a tractor mean?
It is the slow-moving vehicle sign: the vehicle goes 40 km/h or less.
Do I stop for a streetcar if there is a safety island?
No. Pass at a reasonable speed and watch for passengers stepping off the island.
Should I honk to warn a cyclist I am passing?
Usually not. If you must, tap the horn lightly while still well back.
More Ontario guides: freeway driving, parking in Ontario, wildlife on Canadian roads. Back to learning to drive in Ontario.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Sharing the road with other road users” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Driving along” and “Dealing with particular situations” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Changing positions” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Signs” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Parking along roadways” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Freeway driving” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Traffic lights” (ontario.ca)