BehavioursWhat the Law Says
Obeying the Highway Safety Code is essential for harmonious road sharing.
Duty of Care
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.
Obeying the Highway Safety Code
Obeying the Highway Safety Code is essential for harmonious road sharing.
Basic rules
- Obey traffic signs and signals, such as traffic lights, mandatory stops, speed limits and the obligation to yield the right of way.
- Respect other road users' right of way, for example at pedestrian crossings and intersections.
- Signal your intentions with your turn signal light, or with a hand signal if you are cycling.
- Do not tailgate other vehicles.
- When passing pedestrians and cyclists in a vehicle, be sure to leave enough space between you and them:
- 1 m in zones of 50 km/h or less;
- 1.5 m in zones over 50 km/h.
Penalties and fines
If you fail to obey the rules, you are liable to:
- a fine (the amount varies depending on the offence)
- demerit points (the number varies depending on the offence)
Last update: June 3, 2022