Your Level One accompanying driver should be someone you know well, who is also a good driver. It is important that you have a good relationship and understand one another's roles. All accompanying drivers must be fully licensed and have at least four years of driving experience. In addition:

Note: If the accompanying driver is a driving instructor licensed in Ontario, a new driver may drive on any 400-series highway or expressway with a posted speed limit greater than 80 km/h.

Before starting out, make sure the vehicle is in good working condition. Get in the habit of doing a daily "circle check" - a 10-point check of your vehicle - before leaving the driveway.

As a new driver, you want other drivers to see you clearly. You can help by turning on your low beams if you don't have daytime running lights. It's a good idea to put the black and green "N" Novice Driver sign you received with your Level One permit in the back window of your vehicle.

With the help of your accompanying driver, explore the controls, learn where they are and what they do. As well as the brakes, steering and transmission, learn how to use the vehicle's headlights, turn signals, hazard lights, wipers and defroster.

Plan your route with your accompanying driver, and talk about the driving tasks you'll face - the kinds of turns, the type of traffic, and so on.

If things get confusing at any time, or you don't know what to do, pull off the road to a safe place to talk it over, and consult the Driver's Handbook.

Some skills apply to everything you do as a driver.

Keep a constant watch on your surroundings and be aware of people and vehicles around you at all times. Check your mirrors frequently, and always check your blind spots by looking over your shoulder before making turns and lane changes.

Remember that you share the road with others. Trucks, motorcyclists, cyclists and Pedestrians all call for your attention and courtesy on the road. It's important to remember that other vehicles have different needs. For example, trucks need extra stopping room and wider turning lanes, buses need to enter traffic from stopping lanes, and when passing cyclists in narrow lanes they should be given the full width.

The following pages list some common weather and road conditions as well as basic skills you as a car driver or motorcyclist will need to practice.

Use this list as a guide to developing driving skills for your road test. Each time you drive, make a note of the skills you have used and the distances you have driven. Remember this is only a checklist - it's not a replacement for driver training or the Handbooks.

Practise signalling, entering and leaving turns in the correct lane and at the proper speed. At intersections pedestrians and traffic move in many directions. Get to know the different types of intersections and the meanings of all signs and signals.

Practise the right-of-way rules, especially at intersections and while changing lanes. If you are in doubt, always let the other driver go first.

Practise signalling, checking mirrors, checking blind spots by looking over your shoulder, and choosing the right speed for lane changes. It is important for motorists and motorcyclists to know and avoid each other's blind spots.

Learn where they are appropriate, and practise these turns keeping constant watch for other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.

Always be aware of the posted speed limit. Practise setting your speed for road and weather conditions and keeping a safe distance - at least two seconds - from the vehicle ahead.

Learn to park in parking lots, on a grade, and parallel parking. Practise smooth steering in reverse, leaving the right amount of space around you and watching for pedestrians and other vehicles.

Practise turning onto and from one-way streets.

Practise controlled braking, Develop the habit of looking ahead and braking well in advance with firm, even pressure.

Practise overtaking other vehicles. Check for oncoming traffic and when it is safe to do so, accelerate evenly and leave enough space between vehicles before moving back into the correct lane.

Ministry of Transportation - Information Line: 416-235-4686

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP): 1-888-310-1122