Opinions

Do We Need Better Driver Licence Standards in Canada?

Getting a driver’s licence in Canada is pretty straightforward, and most provinces and territories use a graduated licencing system. In Ontario, you can get a learner’s permit or G1 when you turn 16, and the multi-step process takes 20 months to complete.

It’s also affordable, considering the privilege being bestowed upon you by the province. The G1 knowledge test, five-year licence, and first road test is $159.75. There’s a second road test for the full G licence, and that’s $91.25. So, for just over $250, you can become a fully licenced driver in Ontario in less than two years. Are Ontario’s standards for handing out licences too low?

Sean Shapiro, retired Toronto police officer and traffic safety advocate, believes they are.

“We absolutely need stricter driver licencing standards,” he says. “[Ontario] hands out licences like candy, and we have atrocious drivers.”

The tests aren’t exactly difficult, either. After passing a multiple-choice knowledge test, the applicant is eligible to take a road test after “gaining a year of experience,” according to the DriveTest website. The province doesn’t specify how that experience should be attained, although it recommends taking an MTO-recognized driving course.

The first road test is designed to assess basic skills, referred to as a “city test,” and only takes 20 minutes. I remember taking it when I was 17, and the most challenging part was parallel parking, not car control, proper lane etiquette, or driving defensively. Pass this test, and you can drive anywhere and at any time of day, with only a few restrictions.

The second test, or the “highway test,” gauges your ability to drive on a 400-series highway with a speed limit of at least 80 km/h. Successfully pass this one, and you get a full unrestricted Ontario driver’s licence, which only needs renewal every five years for a fee until you turn 80.

In contrast, getting a licence in some European countries can be daunting. Germany, Norway, and Ireland have very challenging licencing requirements. In Germany, you start with taking a first-aid course and an eye exam. Driving school is mandatory, consisting of theory classes and at least 12 hours of driving practice. The hours you need behind the wheel are at the instructor's discretion; only when they determine you are ready can you apply for a road test. It’s expensive, too. Handbook Germany, a community information platform, suggests budgeting between €2,600 to €3,500, most of which goes towards the theory and driving classes.

In Norway, new drivers must take a 17-hour basic traffic course before they’re even allowed to practice, and driving lessons, including a slippery road course, are compulsory. Examiners look at how comfortably you can control a car and whether or not you demonstrate safe, predictable driving that promotes efficient traffic flow. They can fail you for anything and often do.

Nearly half of the drivers fail the first practical exam in Norway. It’s not much easier in Germany, which is considered to have one of the most difficult driving tests in the world.

“I know Canadian drivers who have moved [to Ireland] and have difficulty with the testing, and they may never become fully licenced there,” Shapiro says.

On top of the rigorous testing process, there are different licence classes. If you can’t drive a manual transmission in Germany, a code is added to your licence to indicate it. You also need a special licence to pull a trailer over 750 kg and for driving vehicles over 3,500 kg.

We have few such restrictions in Canada. In Ontario, a G licence allows you to drive a car or small truck, including a trailer weighing up to 11,000 kg. A 26-foot straight truck qualifies, and that’s a little scary, considering there are so many drivers out there who can barely control a small hatchback.

According to Shapiro, drivers here seem to lack basic knowledge of road rules.

“A question I get often is, ‘If I’m in a designated turning lane, do I have to signal?’” he says. “You can Google all this stuff, and the driver’s ed book is available free online.”

According to Wikipedia, out of 191 countries and territories, Canada ranks 35th with 5.2 road fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, well behind many European countries with a higher standard of driver education. Norway ranks sixth, with two fatalities per 100,000, and Germany and Ireland rank 11th and 15th, respectively. Stricter rules around licencing and driver testing seem to have a reasonable correlation to safer roads and fewer fatalities.

“[In Ontario] I don’t see our standards going up anytime soon,” Shapiro says. “I’d like to see people get re-tested every few years instead of renewing their licence for just cash. I think most people would fail.”

Photo credit: Getty