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Les dépassements sécuritaires et les turbulences
Failing to follow basic road safety rules directly threatens the safety of other road users. These rules must be followed at all times.
All road users have a duty, especially toward more vulnerable users, to be careful and considerate when travelling on a public road.
Drivers of road vehicles have a duty to show extra care toward more vulnerable users, such as people with reduced mobility, pedestrians and cyclists.
Vulnerable users, for their part, have a duty to adopt behaviours that enhance their own safety.
Drivers must follow several rules.
Offenders are liable to:
If another vehicle is passing you, or about to pass you, don’t speed up! Doing so is prohibited by the Highway Safety Code and can lead to a fine of $200 to $300 and 2 demerit points. Out of courtesy, you can slow down to make it easier for the other vehicle to pass.
Before passing a cyclist, make sure you have enough space to do so without compromising his or her safety. It is recommended that you merge into the left lane to leave as much space as possible. When passing, the space between your vehicle and the cyclist must be:
Yes. The Highway Safety Code allows this, as long as the manoeuvre can be carried out safely.
Passing a heavy vehicle requires more time and space than passing a car. The manoeuvre also requires increased vigilance due to the turbulence created by the heavy vehicle.
It is recommended that you stop far behind a bus.
On roads with a speed limit of 70 km/h or less, you must yield to buses that have activated their turn signal lights to indicate that they will merge into the lane in which you are driving. If you fail to yield to the bus, you could be fined $100 to $200.
The greatest risks to a child’s safety are found outside the school bus and come from either the bus itself or the surrounding traffic.
When a school bus turns on its flashing lights or deploys its stop sign, you must stop at least 5 metres from the bus, whether you are travelling in the same direction or approaching from the opposite direction.
Offenders face:
You are not required to stop when you are approaching a school bus that is in a lane separated from yours by a median.
You must yield the right of way to any emergency vehicle whose sound-producing device or lights are in operation. It is important to stay calm, locate the emergency vehicle, slow down, pull over as far to the right as possible and, if necessary, stop.
Offenders face:
When an emergency vehicle, a tow truck or a surveillance vehicle is stopped and its arrow light or its rotating or flashing lights are activated, you must:
Offenders face:
In order to adopt a healthy lifestyle, people are increasingly using active modes of transportation such as walking, biking and public transport. However, more and more vehicles are on the road, increasing the risks to vulnerable road users. Given that these road users have little to no protection, they are particularly vulnerable when crossing the road or using the roadway. Thus, additional efforts must be made in order to encourage safe road sharing, such as making the effort to slow down for the safety of road users.
Regardless of the weather, place and time of day, look out for cyclists. They must sometimes leave the far-right side of the road to avoid debris or obstacles on the roadway, or to make a left turn.
Check your side rearview mirror to see whether a cyclist is riding behind the vehicle. Get into the habit of opening the door with the opposite hand. That way, you can see whether a cyclist is in your blind spot before opening the door.
When passing a cyclist, the Highway Safety Code requires that you slow down and keep a distance of 1 metre between your vehicle and the cyclist in zones of 50 km/h or less, and 1.5 metres in zones of more than 50 km/h. As you merge back into your lane, make sure you leave a reasonable amount of space for the cyclist.
Always be attentive to cyclists appearing at intersections. Yield to cyclists riding on your right or in the lane you are about to turn into.
... who are crossing the lane you are about to turn into.
You may startle them, which may cause them to make a false move.
Bicycle safety starts with obeying the Highway Safety Code and adopting defensive cycling behaviours. Remember to be alert, listen and make sure you are seen. It's important!
Equip your bike with reflectors, a rear red light, a white headlight or light in the front, and reflective strips. Wear brightly coloured clothing or clothes with reflective strips.
Other vehicles are bigger than you are. Make sure you are seen… especially at night!
Anticipate hazards, such as car doors opening. Look out for potential danger areas, like potholes or sewer grates, and obey traffic lights. Wearing earphones or headphones or using a cell phone or any other portable electronic device is prohibited by the Highway Safety Code.
Ride in a straight line and in a predictable pattern. Ride with the flow of traffic and keep right. Do not ride on sidewalks, except in case of necessity or where directed or allowed to do so by a sign or signal, and yield to pedestrians, for example at intersections where turning right on a red light is allowed and at a pedestrian crossings.
Look behind you before changing lanes or turning. Use hand signals when turning – this is also a way of making your presence known to other road users.
There are 2 ways of turning left safely:
In a heavy traffic, it is preferable to cross in a L-pattern.
Learn more about sharing the road between cyclists and heavy vehicles.
To ensure your safety, you should:
Pay attention to the blind spots created by the windshield pillars on either side of the front of the vehicle. If the driver’s face is hidden by a pillar, that means the driver can’t see you. All types of vehicles have blind spots created by windshield pillars, not just SUVs or heavy vehicles.
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Last update: May 20, 2022