On a dry freeway in conditions suitable for steady-speed driving, which features can help fuel efficiency?

Overdrive gear and cruise control

Fog lights and the rear defroster

Another driver runs a stop sign and hits you, but you could have avoided the crash by braking. How does the handbook view your role?

You may be found partly responsible

You are never at fault without a ticket

Only the other driver can be blamed

Fault depends on whose car is newer

Ontario G1 overview

Ontario G1: Safe, responsible and efficient driving

Distracted driving and hand-held device rules, fatigue, defensive driving, and fuel-efficient driving habits.

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20 questions
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Safe, responsible and efficient driving · Question 1Score 0/0

A pedestrian at the curb is looking at their phone and stepping toward the road in front of you. What should you use to get their attention?

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 — Safe and responsible driving; Ch. 6 Driving efficiently

All 20 questions in this test

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

A pedestrian at the curb is looking at their phone and stepping toward the road in front of you. What should you use to get their attention?
1. Your turn signal
2. Your high beams
3. Your hazard lights
4. Your horn
On a dry freeway in conditions suitable for steady-speed driving, which features can help fuel efficiency?
1. Overdrive gear and cruise control
2. Open windows and the roof rack
3. Low gear and the parking brake
4. Fog lights and the rear defroster
Another driver runs a stop sign and hits you, but you could have avoided the crash by braking. How does the handbook view your role?
1. You may be found partly responsible
2. You are never at fault without a ticket
3. Only the other driver can be blamed
4. Fault depends on whose car is newer
You are in slow, stop-and-go city traffic on a warm day. What does the handbook suggest for staying cool efficiently?
1. Keep the engine idling faster
2. Turn on the rear defroster
3. Run the A/C on maximum
4. Use the windows and vents
On a hot day at highway speed, which is usually more fuel efficient?
1. Opening all the windows
2. Opening the sunroof fully
3. Turning off the vents
4. Using the air conditioning
Defensive driving is built on three main ideas. What are they?
1. Visibility, space and communication
2. Speed, signals and mirrors
3. Patience, courtesy and concentration
4. Distance, timing and braking
According to the handbook, what is the major cause of collisions?
1. Bad weather conditions
2. Poor road maintenance and design
3. Breaking the rules of the road
4. Mechanical failures
Where is the greatest risk of a collision for most drivers?
1. Behind your vehicle
2. On your right side
3. In front of you
4. On your left side
Acid rain forms when exhaust gases combine with water vapour. Which gases are responsible?
1. Carbon dioxide and methane
2. Carbon monoxide and ozone
3. Sulphur and nitrogen oxides
4. Hydrocarbons and soot
Why should you avoid starting your engine when you don't need to?
1. It drains the windshield washer fluid
2. A cold start releases a burst of pollutants
3. Starting wears out the headlights
4. It resets the vehicle's odometer
Which levels of government make traffic laws that police can enforce?
1. Federal and provincial only
2. Municipal only
3. Federal, provincial and municipal
4. Provincial only
In normal conditions, what minimum following-time gap does the handbook recommend?
1. Half a second
2. Two seconds
3. One second
4. One car length
Ground-level ozone, a component of smog, forms when which pollutants react in sunlight?
1. Soot and carbon monoxide
2. Hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides
3. Carbon dioxide and oxygen
4. Sulphur oxides and water vapour
How does keeping your tires properly inflated help?
1. It increases your top speed
2. It cuts fuel use, emissions and tire wear
3. It lets you skip wheel alignments
4. It shortens your following distance
According to the handbook’s fuel-saving advice, about how long is the usual initial engine warm-up before driving gently in cold weather?
1. About 30 seconds
2. About 10 minutes
3. About 15 minutes
4. About 5 minutes
You pull over to wait for a friend. To save fuel and cut emissions, after how long should you turn off the engine?
1. More than 1 minute
2. More than 3 minutes
3. More than 5 minutes
4. More than 10 seconds
When you refuel, why shouldn't you keep topping off the tank after the pump clicks off?
1. Spilled fuel gives off harmful vapours
2. It makes the fuel gauge stop working
3. The pump will charge a penalty fee
4. It voids your vehicle warranty
Why can a bus be more efficient in carbon dioxide emissions per passenger than many separate cars?
1. Every bus has zero exhaust emissions
2. One vehicle can carry many passengers
3. A bus never needs fuel
4. Cars cannot carry more than one person
While scanning the road as you drive, about how often should you check your mirrors?
1. Every five seconds or so
2. Every 15 seconds or so
3. Only before you change lanes
4. Every 30 seconds or so
Which of these is an example of courteous driving?
1. Speeding up when someone signals
2. Driving close so no one cuts in
3. Using the horn to hurry slow drivers
4. Leaving room for others to change lanes

Safe, responsible and efficient driving: 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

Safe driving combines knowledge, skill and attitude.
Breaking the rules of the road is the major cause of collisions.
Traffic laws come from federal, provincial and municipal governments; police at each level can enforce them.
Breaking a traffic law can mean a fine, jail or loss of licence; driving while suspended can lead to vehicle impoundment.
Everyone is responsible for avoiding collisions; you can be found responsible even if another person did something wrong, if you could have avoided it.
Be predictable (do what others expect) and courteous (give space to change lanes, don't cut off, signal properly).

Defensive driving

Defensive (strategic) driving: seeing hazards early and responding in time; collision avoidance courses exist.
Based on three ideas: visibility, space, communication.
Visibility: scan ahead and to the sides; check mirrors about every 5 seconds; look far ahead; use signals so others see you.
Space: keep a cushion ahead, behind and on both sides; greatest collision risk is in front, so stay well back.
Communication: eye contact with pedestrians, cyclists, drivers at intersections; signal to slow, stop, turn or change lanes; use the horn to get attention.

Environmental effects

Gas/diesel exhaust: oxides of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur, hydrocarbons, soot.
Ground-level ozone is one component of smog; it forms when hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides react in sunlight.
Acid rain = sulphur and nitrogen oxides + water vapour.
The handbook uses an older estimate that cars produce nearly half of transport CO2; it is not a current emissions inventory. Taking transit or sharing trips can reduce emissions per passenger.

Before you drive / While driving / At the garage

Combine errands; avoid rush hour; heed smog alerts; walk/cycle short trips; transit, carpool (free carpool lots).
Cold engine start releases a big burst of pollutants: avoid unnecessary starts.
Avoid unnecessary idling. In normal conditions, about 30 seconds can be enough before driving gently; this does not mean the engine has reached full operating temperature. Clear snow and ice and ensure visibility first.
Cruise control should not be used on slippery roads, in heavy traffic or when you feel tired.
Remove extra weight (baggage, wet snow, sand/salt) and unused roof racks; at high speed use vents, not open windows.
A/C: windows and vents in city/stop-and-go; at high speeds A/C is usually more efficient than open windows.
Don't top off the tank: spilled fuel releases vapours.
Keep engine tuned (worn plugs, dragging brakes, low transmission fluid raise fuel use), follow maintenance schedule, check leaks, keep tires inflated, check alignment.

10 ways to make Ontario's roads safer

Don't drink and drive or drive on impairing medication; wear seatbelts and use correct child seats; obey limits, slow in poor conditions.
Don't cut people off, make sudden lane changes or run yellow lights; don't drive tired, upset or sick.
When in doubt, yield the right-of-way.
Keep at least a 2-second gap: count from when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object until you reach it.
Cut distractions: don't overcrowd the vehicle or play loud music.
Check mirror and over your shoulder before changing lanes; check all directions including sidewalks and paths before entering an intersection.

Study the Safe, responsible and efficient driving rules as flashcards →