Ontario G1: Night driving and bad weather

Headlight rules and distances, glare, rain, hydroplaning, fog, snow, whiteouts, black ice, skids and winter driving.

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Night driving and bad weather · Question 1Score 0/0

Which part of the road usually freezes first as temperatures drop?

Tip: press 1–4 to answer and Enter for the next question.

Study reference: MTO Driver's Handbook (online edition, 2026), Ch. 2 Driving safely and responsibly — Driving at night and in bad weather

All 28 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

Which part of the road usually freezes first as temperatures drop?
1. Roads near cities
2. Bridges and overpasses
3. Uphill sections
4. Sunny straight stretches
When is a road most slippery during rain?
1. Only once puddles form
2. As the first drops fall
3. After an hour of heavy rain
4. When the rain stops
You are following another car at night. Within what distance must you use low beams?
1. Within 30 metres
2. Within 150 metres
3. Within 60 metres
4. Within 100 metres
You brake hard in a car with ABS and the pedal pulses under your foot. What should you do?
1. Shift into park
2. Keep pressing the pedal firmly
3. Release the pedal right away
4. Pump the pedal quickly
You must drive in fog. Which headlights should you use?
1. Parking lights only
2. High-beam headlights
3. Low-beam headlights
4. No headlights at all
In winter, the road ahead looks black and shiny. What might this mean?
1. It may be covered in black ice
2. The road was just repaved
3. Salt has fully melted the ice
4. The road is dry and safe
Why should you never stop on the travelled part of the road in fog?
1. Your engine could stall in the damp
2. Your lights drain the battery quickly
3. You could start a chain-reaction collision
4. It is only illegal on freeways
Driving at night on a country road with high beams on, you approach a hilltop. What should you do?
1. Keep high beams on to see over
2. Switch to low beams
3. Turn off your headlights briefly
4. Flash your high beams twice
You enter a tunnel on a bright, sunny day. What should you do?
1. Keep sunglasses on and switch on your high beams
2. Slow down, take off sunglasses, use headlights
3. Speed up to get through quickly
4. Turn on hazard lights and stop inside the tunnel
From how far away can a snow plow's flashing blue lights be seen?
1. 60 metres
2. 30 metres
3. 500 metres
4. 150 metres
What is true about stopping distance with anti-lock brakes?
1. It is shorter only on dry roads
2. It is longer than with normal brakes
3. It is always cut in half
4. Don't expect it to be shorter
When doing threshold braking, what should you do if a wheel begins to lock?
1. Pull the parking brake
2. Ease off slightly, then reapply
3. Release the brake completely
4. Pump the brake rapidly to unlock it
After your brakes have dried, the pedal still feels spongy. What should you do?
1. Keep driving until your next service
2. Drive through more water to clear them
3. Have the vehicle repaired right away
4. Pump the brakes before every stop
What does it mean to 'overdrive' your headlights?
1. Your high beams are aimed too high above the road
2. You can't stop within the range you can see
3. You use high beams near other cars
4. Your headlights are left on in daylight
What is the most common cause of skids?
1. Worn or streaky windshield wipers
2. Driving with the radio on
3. Using low beams at night
4. Driving too fast for conditions
Your car starts to skid on an icy road. What should you do?
1. Accelerate and steer the opposite way
2. Brake hard and hold the steering wheel perfectly straight
3. Pull the parking brake firmly
4. Ease off the pedals and steer where you want to go
On a freeway, several snow plows are staggered across the lanes. What should you do?
1. Pass on the shoulder
2. Flash your lights so they move over
3. Pass between them in a clear gap
4. Stay back and don't pass between them
When should you not use cruise control?
1. On long straight roads
2. On dry highways
3. In light daytime traffic
4. In snow and other bad weather
What colour of flashing light is used on snow plows?
1. Blue
2. Amber
3. Red
4. Green
In thick fog, what should you use as a guide to stay in your lane?
1. The left shoulder
2. The right edge of the road
3. The tail lights of a car far ahead
4. The centre line
You are stranded in your car during a severe snowstorm. What does the handbook recommend?
1. Seal every window completely
2. Walk to find help right away
3. Stay with the car and run the engine sparingly
4. Keep the engine running nonstop with windows shut
At night, how close to an oncoming vehicle must you be before switching to low beams?
1. Within 100 metres
2. Within 150 metres
3. Within 60 metres
4. Within 300 metres
How far to the right can a snow plow's wing extend?
1. Up to one metre
2. Up to six metres
3. Up to half a metre
4. Up to three metres
The fog becomes too dense to keep driving. What should you do?
1. Pull fully off the road and turn on flashers
2. Keep driving at the same speed
3. Switch to high beams to see better
4. Stop in your lane with your flashers turned on
What is hydroplaning?
1. Wipers lifting off the glass
2. Tires riding on top of water
3. Brakes overheating in the rain
4. Water entering the engine
Why should you use low beams rather than high beams in blowing snow?
1. High beams drain the battery in cold
2. Low beams make the car more visible from behind
3. Low beams melt the snow on the road
4. High beams reflect off the snow particles
An oncoming car at night has very bright headlights. Where should you look?
1. Slightly to the left of the lights
2. Directly at the oncoming headlights
3. Down at your own dashboard
4. Up, beyond and slightly to the right
You reach a flooded stretch of road. What is the safest first choice?
1. Avoid entering it and choose a safe alternative route
2. Accelerate through it to keep the engine running
3. Follow another vehicle closely through the water
4. Enter it because road water cannot affect brakes

Night driving and bad weather: key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Introduction

At night and in rain, snow or fog you see less far even with headlights; slow down, especially on unlit roads.

Overdriving your headlights

Overdriving = going so fast that stopping distance is longer than what your headlights let you see.
Reflective road signs can trick you into thinking you see farther than you do.

Glare

Glare occurs on sunny and overcast days and at night from oncoming lights or lights in the mirror.
Oncoming bright headlights at night: look up, beyond and slightly to the right of them.
Daytime glare: sun visor or good sunglasses.
Entering a tunnel on a bright day: slow down, remove sunglasses, turn on headlights.
Low beams required within 150 metres of an oncoming vehicle and when following within 60 metres.
Country roads: switch to low beams at curves and hilltops; back to high beams when no headlights are visible.

Fog

Best: avoid driving in fog; delay trip if fog warning; if visibility drops rapidly, get off the road into a safe parking area.
Do: slow gradually; full lighting system on; low beams (high beams reflect off moisture); fog lights in addition to low beams; avoid passing, lane changes, crossing traffic; use the right edge of the road as a guide rather than the centre line; increase following distance; cut distractions; watch electronic warning signs; keep windows/mirrors clean.
Too dense to continue: pull completely off the road to a safe area, emergency flashers on plus low beams.
Don't: stop on the travelled road (chain-reaction risk); speed up suddenly even if fog seems to clear; speed up to pass or to escape a tailgater.
You may be going faster than you think; reduce speed gradually.

Rain

Roads are most slippery as the first drops fall.
Hydroplaning: tires ride on water like water skis when there's too much water or speed is too high; control is very difficult. Need good deep-tread tires; slow down.
Drive slow enough to stop within the distance you can see; replace streaking wiper blades.
Drive on clear sections; smooth steering/braking/accelerating; leave more space (also avoids spray).
Avoid puddles: hidden potholes, damage, spray blinding others or hitting pedestrians, stalling the engine, weaker brakes.

Flooded roads

Avoid flooded roads; water may stop brakes working.
The MTO handbook advises avoiding flooded roads: water can impair brakes, hide damage and make vehicle control difficult. Choose a safe alternative route rather than assuming the water is shallow or safe.
Still pulling or spongy once dry: get the vehicle repaired immediately.

Skids

Skid: one or more tires lose grip; most often on slippery surfaces; most result from driving too fast for conditions.
Hard braking, aggressive turning or accelerating can cause skids; braking or accelerating while steering pushes tires toward a skid.
In a skid: don't panic; ease off accelerator or brake; on very slippery surface shift to neutral if you can; steer where you want to go; don't oversteer; once in control brake gently.

Anti-lock braking systems (ABS)

Practise emergency braking, ideally with a qualified instructor.
ABS senses wheel speed; abnormal drop (impending lock) reduces brake force on that wheel, preventing skids and loss of steering.
ABS does not shorten stopping distance.
Pedal pulsation is normal under hard braking; don't release the pedal.
With ABS: press hard and let the system control lock-up.

Threshold braking

Mainly for vehicles without ABS; brake as hard as possible until a wheel begins to lock, ease slightly, re-apply; don't pump the brakes.

Snow

Snow can be hard-packed (icy), rutted, or smooth and soft; slow down on rutted roads; avoid sudden actions.
Do not use cruise control in snow or other bad weather.

Whiteouts

Blowing snow can fully block view; drive only if necessary.
Low beams (high beams reflect off ice particles); fog lights in addition; increase following distance; get off the road when visibility is near zero.
Don't stop on the travelled road; don't pass slow vehicles or speed away from tailgaters.
If stranded in a winter storm, stay with the vehicle, open a window slightly and use flashers. Before running the engine briefly for warmth, clear snow from the exhaust pipe and keep it clear to reduce carbon-monoxide risk.
Winter survival kit: warm clothing, non-perishable energy food, flashlight, shovel, blanket.

Ice

Shaded areas, bridges and overpasses freeze first.
Black ice: road looks black and shiny; normal winter asphalt looks grey-white.

Snow plows

Snow-removal vehicles have flashing blue lights visible from 150 metres.
Some plows have a wing extending up to 3 metres to the right.
On freeways plows may be staggered across lanes passing a snow ridge; never pass between them.

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