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SAAQ Class 5 overview

SAAQ Class 5 study guide: key rules on all 17 topics

Free SAAQ Class 5 study guide: 817 key points from the Driver's Handbook (SAAQ) in plain words, organised by topic, each topic linked to its practice questions.

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  • 17 topics
  • 817 key points
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This study guide collects our notes on every topic of the SAAQ Class 5 Knowledge Test on one page: 817 short points in our own words, grouped by topic and by handbook section. Read it from top to bottom before your first practice test, or jump to a topic from the list below.

Each topic ends with a link to its practice questions, so you can check what you just read straight away, and a link to the official chapter for the full wording. The notes summarise the Driver's Handbook (SAAQ) from the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ); they do not replace it, and where our notes and the official source differ, the official source wins.

Study these notes as flashcards →

Traffic lights and signal lights

Red, yellow and green lights, arrows, flashing lights, dark signals, pedestrian countdown lights, cyclist lights, lane-use lights, railway signals, work-site lights and bus priority lights.

Practise Traffic lights and signal lights questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Signal lights (overview)

  • Signal lights cover standard traffic lights plus flashing lights, pedestrian lights, cyclist lights, lane-use lights, railway crossing lights, regulated parking lights, work-site lights, bus priority lights and inspection station lights.

Traffic lights

  • Lights that are defective or switched off: treat the intersection as if it had stop signs in every direction (all-way stop), unless a suitable sign or signal is in place instead of the lights.

Red light

  • Drivers and cyclists must come to a complete stop before the pedestrian crosswalk or the stop line.
  • No line marked: stop before the edge of the roadway you are about to cross.
  • You may move on only when a traffic signal authorizes it.
  • Where there are no pedestrian lights, pedestrians must stop for the red light too.

Yellow (amber) light

  • Means red is coming; stop before the crosswalk or stop line (or before the edge of the roadway to be crossed if no line).
  • Exception: you are already in the intersection, or so close that you cannot stop safely.
  • With no pedestrian lights, pedestrians follow the same rule.

Green light

  • Solid or flashing green: you may go after yielding to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians already in the intersection.
  • No pedestrian lights: pedestrians facing green may cross.
  • Flashing green = protected left turn; oncoming traffic is stopped.

Arrows

  • Red arrow: you may not go in the direction it points.
  • Yellow arrow: same meaning as a yellow light, for the direction shown.
  • Green arrow (flashing or steady): drivers and cyclists must go in the direction shown, following the same right-of-way rules as a green light.

Flashing lights

  • Flashing yellow or red lights are added at particularly dangerous intersections.
  • Flashing red: stop, then yield to any vehicle entering the intersection or close enough on the crossing road to cause a collision; used together with stop signs.
  • Flashing yellow: slow down, yield to road users already in the intersection, then go.
  • Flashing yellow lights placed with regulatory or warning signs draw attention to a danger or an obligation.

Pedestrian lights

  • Two kinds: standard (walking silhouette + orange hand) and countdown (adds a third lamp showing time remaining).
  • Silhouette: pedestrians may cross in the area set aside for them; some intersections have a continuous audio signal for visually impaired people while it is lit.
  • Flashing silhouette: audio signal changes to beeping; pedestrians already crossing must hurry to the sidewalk or median.
  • Orange hand: do not enter the intersection; flashing hand = those already crossing must hurry to the sidewalk or median.
  • Time counter: shows how much crossing time is left.

Cyclist lights

  • Three vertical lights shaped as red, yellow and green bicycles; colours mean the same as ordinary traffic lights.

Lane use lights

  • Mounted over one or more lanes.
  • Red X: you may not drive or stop in that lane.
  • Downward green arrow: you may use that lane.
  • Flashing horizontal yellow arrow (usually shown with the red X): move carefully to the left or right lane because a lane is closed ahead.

Railway crossing signals

  • Flashing red lights at a road/railway crossing; when active, a train is coming and drivers and pedestrians must stop before the level crossing.

Regulated parking lights

  • Orange lights with a regulatory sign; restrict street parking at certain times for road maintenance.
  • The parking rule on the sign applies only while the lights are on.

Work site lights

  • Warn of road maintenance or repairs; slow down and be careful near the work area.
  • Flashing or rotating yellow light on a vehicle: the vehicle may hinder traffic, may travel much slower than the maximum (or below the minimum) speed, or may be escorting a vehicle that hinders traffic.

Signal arrows (on vehicles or trailers)

  • One lane is blocked; use the lane left open. Arrow direction = lane to use.
  • Double arrow: traffic may pass on either side of the blocked lane.
  • Only the centre bar lit: work site on a road with one lane each way, or a work site on the shoulder.

Accompanying vehicle / temporary lights

  • An accompanying vehicle with a sign travels ahead of mobile or very short-term work sites to warn in advance and show how to get around.
  • Temporary lights near a work area control traffic when both directions must take turns using one lane.

Bus priority lights

  • Added to traffic lights to help buses merge into traffic; a white bar, triangle or the word BUS shown through a black lens.
  • White vertical bar: buses may only go straight (no left or right turns).
  • White horizontal bar: all bus movements prohibited.
  • White bar slanted left: only a left turn allowed. Slanted right: only a right turn allowed.
  • White triangle: clearance interval for buses, like a yellow light.
  • BUS: buses may go in any direction.

Inspection station lights (heavy vehicles)

  • Only in inspection areas. Red = stop for weighing; upward yellow = move ahead slowly; yellow pointing right = enter the station and park for inspection; downward yellow arrow = back up slowly; green = weighing done, may leave.

Pavement markings

Yellow and white lines, broken, solid, double and combined lines, reversible and two-way left-turn lanes, reserved lanes, stop lines, crosswalks, parking markings and pavement symbols.

Practise Pavement markings questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Pavement markings (purpose)

  • Markings separate lanes, show lanes for certain vehicles or users and the permitted movements; they supplement signs and signals.
  • They show, among other things: traffic direction, lanes, no-passing zones, road edges, width changes, bus/heavy-vehicle zones, stop lines, pedestrian/school/playground crosswalks, parking, special manoeuvres (arrows), obstructions, reversible lanes, bikeways, reserved lanes, two-way left-turn lanes and runaway lanes.

Colour of markings

  • Only two colours: yellow and white.
  • Yellow: separates lanes going opposite ways; left side of divided roads, highways and one-way roads; left edge of a highway ramp; no-parking areas; crossings for children/pedestrians/students between intersections or at intersections with no light or stop sign; road edges for visibility; reversible lanes; two-way left-turn lanes; lanes for oncoming or alternating traffic.
  • White: separates lanes on a one-way road; highway acceleration/deceleration lanes; right side of divided roads; outer edges of two-way roads; parking areas; crossings at intersections with lights or stop signs; turning guides at intersections; stopping points; lanes reserved for traffic in the same direction.

Broken and solid single lines

  • White when separating lanes of one-way traffic; yellow when separating two-way traffic.
  • A broken line may be crossed in certain circumstances; a solid line may not.

Double, combined and lane lines

  • Two solid yellow lines side by side separate two-way traffic and may not be crossed.
  • Solid yellow beside broken yellow: two-way traffic; may be crossed in certain circumstances if the broken line is on your side.
  • White combined lines can separate one-way lanes; cross only if the broken line is on your side.
  • Lines between same-direction lanes are usually broken white; they may be solid, single, double or combined to limit or ban lane changes (e.g. approaching another road, in a tunnel).

Reversible lane

  • Urban lane whose direction alternates; marked on both sides by parallel broken yellow lines.

Two-way left-turn lane

  • Middle lane for left turns from both directions; on each side, parallel yellow lines (one solid, one broken); yellow lane-selection arrows show that only left turns are allowed from it.

Reserved lane

  • Reserved at all times: double solid lines. Reserved during certain hours: double broken lines.
  • Diagonal broken white lines in the reserved lane: drivers in the next lane may share it only to turn at the next intersection.

Slow-moving vehicle lane

  • Extra lane where a slope's grade or length makes some heavy vehicles slow down a lot.

Stop line, crosswalks, parking

  • White stop line across the road, perpendicular, at intersections with lights or a stop sign; marks where to stop.
  • Crosswalk at intersections with lights or stop signs: two parallel solid white lines or a zebra pattern. Elsewhere crosswalks are yellow.
  • Parking: white lines = parking allowed; yellow lines = parking prohibited.
  • White wheelchair symbol: spaces or ramps for people with physical disabilities; on spaces it comes with a sign reserving them for holders of a disabled parking permit.

Bus stop, sensors, aircraft patrol

  • City bus stop zone: rectangle with a yellow zigzag pattern; left side is a broken white line.
  • Vehicle sensor symbol: painted at the centre of a sensor so you stop at the right spot and the light gets a signal; reduces waiting at intersections.
  • Yellow equilateral triangles on pavement or shoulder: traffic may be watched from aircraft.

Arrows and symbols

  • White arrows show lane direction.
  • Elongated white diamond: lane reserved for certain types of vehicles.
  • Painted bicycle symbol: bikeway.

Traffic lane divisions

  • You may cross a broken line once you are sure it is safe.
  • Broken line next to a solid line: passing allowed if the broken line is on your side when you start; finish passing before the broken line ends.

Crossing solid lines

  • Generally you may not cross a solid single or solid double line.
  • Exceptions: the lane is obstructed or closed; turning left onto another road or into a private driveway; passing farm machinery, farm tractors, animal-drawn vehicles, bicycles, or vehicles bearing the slow-moving vehicle sign (orange triangle with reflective dark red edges).

Regulatory signs

Sign colours and shapes, stop, all-way stop and yield signs, speed limits, one-way and lane direction signs, green-circle and red-circle signs, no passing, parking, stopping and reserved-lane signs.

Practise Regulatory signs questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Road signs (overview)

  • Signs use pictograms and wording; small tabs are often added under a sign to make its message more specific.
  • Four sign families: regulatory, warning, information, road work.
  • Regulatory signs state the obligations and restrictions the Highway Safety Code places on you.

Types of signs; shapes and colours

  • Warning signs flag stretches where obstacles or hazards call for extra care; they may tell you to slow down, stop or change direction.
  • Information signs give destinations, distances, directions, street names, services, points of interest.
  • Road work signs mark construction or maintenance and how to get through; they can be regulatory, warning or information signs.
  • Colour scheme follows North American practice. In general: black and white = regulatory; yellow = danger warning; orange = road work; green, brown or blue = information.

Shapes and colours table

  • Diamond shape = danger (warning) and work-site signs.
  • Octagon is reserved for stop signs; pentagon is reserved for school zones.
  • Regulatory, warning and road work signs use arrows and symbols; information signs use written information.
  • Regulatory table: red octagon = stop only; red-and-white triangle = yield only; black horizontal rectangle = reserved for one-way signs.
  • Warning table: fluorescent yellow-green pentagon = beginning of a school zone; fluorescent yellow-green (second shape in table, not given in text) = advance school zone / school crossing signs; yellow = danger, orange = work site; red-and-white = warning chevrons.
  • Information table: blue = highways (autoroutes), green = roads; blue = tourist information / private tourist services; brown = public tourist attractions; red = emergency facilities; yellow = highway exits.

Pictograms

  • Pictograms (symbols, arrows, silhouettes) replace words.
  • Prohibition symbol: red circle with a red diagonal bar — whatever is inside is forbidden.
  • Mandatory symbol: green circle — whatever is inside is compulsory.

Stop, all-way stop, do not enter

  • Stop sign: come to a complete stop at the intersection.
  • All-way stop tab (under stop signs): traffic from every direction must stop; the tab's shape shows the intersection layout (+, T, Y).
  • Do not enter: no vehicle of any type may enter that road or lane, because entering could cause a head-on collision; a tab may spell out the meaning.

Yield, traffic circle yield, yield to oncoming, stop line

  • Yield: give the right of way to vehicles on the road you are entering.
  • Traffic circle yield: give way to vehicles already in the circle. Aim is to merge without stopping and without hindering those in the circle; stop only when there is no other choice. Not slowing at all, or always stopping, both disrupt traffic.
  • Yield to oncoming traffic sign: used at work sites without a flagperson, single-lane two-way sections and some narrow bridges.
  • Stop line: painted line where vehicles must stop.

Speed limit, one-way

  • Speed limit signs show the legal maximum and minimum speeds; the last digit is always zero.
  • An area tab with a speed limit sign sets the maximum for all similar streets in a generally urban area; installed on every access road into that area.
  • A school zone speed sign shows the maximum plus the hours, days and months it applies.
  • One-way: traffic only in the arrow's direction. "Beginning of one-way" sign: two-way ends, one-way starts.

Two-way traffic, obstruction, lane direction

  • Two-way traffic sign (regulatory): one-way ends, two-way begins.
  • Obstruction signs: pass the obstacle on the right, on the left, or on either side, as shown.
  • Lane direction signs: be in the proper lane for your intended direction; a split arrow (two or three heads) means any of the directions shown is allowed.

Lane direction combinations, two-way left turn, reversible lane

  • Two-way left-turn sign: centre lane is reserved for left turns from either direction.
  • Many combination signs assign a movement to each lane (e.g. right lane straight, left lane left).
  • Reversible lane: direction changes with time of day or traffic. Overhead signals: green arrow = you may use the lane; red X = lane is for oncoming traffic.

Mandatory or prohibited movement at intersections

  • Green circle here means you MUST do the movement shown; no other manoeuvre is allowed.
  • Mandatory: straight only; left only; right only; straight or right; straight or left; right or left.
  • Prohibited (red circle and bar): no straight through; no left; no right; no U-turn at an intersection or median.
  • No right turn on red sign: if the ban is limited to certain times, the times are on a tab.
  • Tabs can limit a mandatory/prohibited movement to certain periods or exempt categories of vehicles.
  • "Excepté véhicules autorisés" tab under a no-U-turn sign: emergency vehicles, public security vehicles and road construction/maintenance vehicles may still make U-turns.

No passing, controlled parking

  • No-passing sign marks the start of a no-passing zone; a tab under it can mark the end of the zone.
  • Controlled parking signs show where parking is banned or allowed; may specify vehicle categories, minutes, hours, days, months, and extent (arrow).
  • Reserved parking for people with physical disabilities.
  • Tow-away tab: vehicles in violation may be towed.
  • Some municipalities use a sign to ban winter parking or restrict vehicle categories.
  • A sign used with orange lights bans parking during road maintenance operations.
  • Pay parking sign; tab showing where the pay-and-display machine is.

No stopping, crossings, other

  • No stopping: stopping is forbidden in the zone shown; same arrows/indications as parking signs.
  • Crossing signs mark places where pedestrians may cross. Be ready to stop as soon as a pedestrian enters the crosswalk or shows intent (walking toward it, waiting, eye contact, hand gesture); you must stop to let the pedestrian cross safely.
  • Crosswalk types: pedestrian, school, people with physical disabilities, visually impaired people, playground, pedestrian-and-bicycle.
  • Other: no littering; radar detectors banned on board; gas tanks must be closed and sealed to board a ferry; seat belt mandatory.

Mandatory routes; trucks

  • Mandatory route signs for trucks, motorcycles, cars; a tab arrow shows the direction.
  • Trucks in transit (no local deliveries in the area) must follow the mandatory truck route; tool vehicles and equipment transport vehicles too. Exempt: tow trucks, farm vehicles/machinery, oversize vehicles with a special permit giving access.
  • A sign can allow trucks onto a normally banned road for local deliveries.
  • Lane sign for trucks/tool/equipment vehicles; a tab gives total distance when the obligation runs over 2 km.

Access prohibited; hazardous materials; railway; weight

  • Access-prohibited signs (red circle) exist for cars, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, equestrians, ATVs, snowmobiles, buses of various kinds, in-line skaters, RVs, vehicles with trailers, and combinations.
  • Truck prohibition applies when load, size or number of axles exceeds the road's limits; may exempt local deliveries if shown.
  • Hazardous materials signs: mandatory route, prohibited road, mandatory lane, prohibited lane; can concern individual motorists carrying unusual amounts of fuel, explosives or chemicals.
  • Level crossing stop exemption signs: vehicles normally required to stop (buses, hazardous-material carriers) need not stop; used near abandoned or rarely used tracks with special safety measures.
  • No stopping on railway tracks.
  • Weight restriction: vehicles over the posted gross weight may not use certain bridges/overpasses; tabs can show distance to the structure or that only one such vehicle may be on it at a time.

Thaw, slow traffic, brake check, inspection

  • Thaw period load limits must be obeyed.
  • Slow-moving traffic lane: slow vehicles must use the right lane; applies to ANY slow-moving vehicle although the symbol is a truck.
  • Brake check: vehicles or combinations of 3,000 kg or more must stop in the indicated area to check brakes; a sign inside the area says at most 30 m remain before the exit stop sign.
  • Inspection station: trucks, tow trucks, equipment transport and tool vehicles, and vehicles with a trailer or semitrailer over 10 m long must stop. When lights flash, straight trucks or road tractors over 4,500 kg net weight must stop.

Reserved lanes

  • Elongated white diamond in the top-left corner on a red or black background = reserved lane.
  • Black background: vehicles in the reserved lane travel with the flow of traffic. Red background: lane is for oncoming traffic or alternating traffic in either direction.
  • Signs list user types and periods; arrow shows which lane. A separate sign marks the end of reserved lanes.
  • Carpool symbol: number on a vehicle outline = minimum occupants required to use the lane.

Warning signs

Yellow diamond signs for stops and lights ahead, curves, intersections, lane endings, narrowing roads, steep grades, school zones, crossings, slippery or icy surfaces, hazard markers and chevrons.

Practise Warning signs questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Warning signs (overview)

  • Warning signs do not all call for the same response: depending on the case you may have to change lanes, stop, slow down, or simply be more alert.

Advance stop/yield; changes to signs

  • Advance stop sign: a stop sign is coming up.
  • Advance yield sign: a yield sign is coming up. Another version announces a yield-to-oncoming-traffic sign.
  • "Change to signs" warnings: alert you that traffic control at an intersection is changing; tabs give the date a stop sign is removed or comes into effect, the date lights are removed or start operating, the date a new lower speed limit starts, or flag a new yield sign, new lights, or a change in one-way direction. A tab under a speed limit sign flags a changed limit.
  • The word STOP may replace ARRÊT on these signs.

Traffic lights ahead; prepare to stop; advance speed limit

  • Advance warning of traffic lights ahead.
  • Prepare to stop sign with flashing yellow lights: traffic lights or a level crossing where you might not expect them; flashing means the signal is about to turn red — be ready to stop.
  • Advance speed limit sign: zone ahead where the limit is lower by at least 30 km/h.
  • Before a school zone with time-limited speed, a tab gives the times, days and months.

Two-way traffic ahead; divided roadway

  • Two-way traffic ahead (warning, yellow).
  • Divided roadway ahead: must be entered by the right only.
  • A version says you may pass an obstacle on either side.
  • End of divided roadway sign.

Advance lane direction; curves

  • Advance lane direction signs show which lanes to use for each movement at the next intersection.
  • Curve signs: curve left; sharp curve left; reverse curve; sharp reverse curve.
  • Winding road: three or more curves in a row, each within 150 m of the next; a tab shows the distance covered by the curves if it is over 1 km.
  • A separate sign warns of a curve of more than 90°. Same sign types exist for right-hand curves.
  • Recommended speed tab: advised speed for getting around an obstacle or hazard.
  • Highway exit recommended speed: leaves enough margin for emergency braking in the curve on wet pavement.

Merging, parallel lanes, intersections

  • Merge sign: traffic joins your lane. A version warns of a bus lane merging ahead.
  • Parallel lanes sign: one or more separate adjacent lanes, so no lane change is needed for at least 1 km. Merging/parallel lanes can be on either side.
  • Intersection pictograms show the layout ahead: crossroad, T-intersection, Y-intersection, T in a curve, drawn as the driver sees it.

Large median, roundabout, narrow passage, clearance

  • Warning that the road crosses another road whose lanes are split by a very wide median.
  • Traffic circle (roundabout) ahead.
  • Narrow bridge/tunnel: narrower than the approach.
  • One-lane narrow passage: only one lane open, roadway at most 6 m wide.
  • Overhead clearance: diamond = advance warning; square = posted on the bridge, overpass or tunnel itself.

Level crossings, restricted visibility

  • Advance level crossing sign: used where a level crossing is less than 50 m from an intersection in urban areas, or less than 125 m in rural areas.
  • Other signs warn of a level crossing ahead and show the angle at which the tracks cross the road.
  • A sign warns truck drivers to slow down a lot because of the crossing's design.
  • Restricted visibility: limited or no visibility because of an abrupt slope.

Roadway narrows vs lane ending

  • Roadway narrows (both sides, right, or left): road gets narrower but the number of lanes stays the same; no particular manoeuvre required, only extra alertness.
  • Lane ending: the lane ends; drivers in it must change lanes after yielding to vehicles in the lane that continues. Pavement markings may accompany it. Can be left or right. A tab can give the distance to the end of the lane.
  • The two signs must not be confused.

Lane/road ends; steep grade

  • Lane or road ends sign.
  • Steep grade signs show the slope in percent when it is 6% or more (6 m drop over 100 m); higher percent = steeper.
  • Steep grades call for caution from heavy-vehicle drivers but can also be risky for others, especially if winding or slippery.
  • Variants: maximum grade in percent; slope longer than 1 km; two successive slopes with different grades (total distance shown if over 1 km).

Reserved lane ahead; school bus stop ahead

  • Reserved lane ahead: flashing lights mean the rule is in effect; tab gives the period.
  • A sign warns that the cross-street lane is reserved, so right-turning drivers must use the adjacent lane.
  • School bus stop ahead: used only where a curve or hill hides a stopped bus; be ready to stop and watch for children.

Beginning of a school zone; crossings

  • School zone = road segment next to an elementary or secondary school.
  • From September to June, school zone maximum is 50 km/h, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • If the municipality sets a lower limit, a speed limit sign with times, days and months goes with the school zone sign.
  • The end of the school zone is shown by a sign giving the speed limit that applies outside it.
  • Advance crossing signs: pedestrian crosswalk, school zone or school crosswalk, playground, people with physical disabilities, visually impaired people, bicycle crossing.

More crossing signs

  • Pedestrians and cyclists; truck crossing; logging trucks; snowmobile crossing; ATV crossing; equestrian crossing; successive ATV and snowmobile crossings; wild animals in the area; farm animal crossing.

Shared roadway, end of highway, hazard markers

  • Designated shared roadway: cyclists and drivers share a road recognized as a bikeway; expect more cyclists, be careful and courteous. Advance sign for a change from a bike lane/path to a shared roadway.
  • Advance end of highway signs: distance left and the road layout where the highway ends.
  • Hazard markers: obstacles on the road or shoulder (e.g. boulders, bridge railings) or a narrowing; the diagonal bands point to the side you must use to get past.

Hazard marker variants, directional arrows, delineators, alignment markers

  • Hazard markers for passing on either side, on the right, or on the left.
  • Directional arrow: especially dangerous point in a very sharp curve or at a T-intersection.
  • Delineators along the road edge warn of sharp curves, helpful at night, in poor visibility, on wet or snowy pavement.
  • Alignment markers (chevrons): mark a sharp curve; a chevron pattern in a curve means it is extremely sharp.
  • A sign in the centre of a traffic circle shows the direction of travel in the circle.

Slippery and surface signs

  • Slippery when wet; shoreline road slippery from spray; motorcyclist version for especially slippery wet surface.
  • Icy pavement: road, bridge or overpass may ice up or frost near freezing temperatures.
  • Flooded roadway: water may cover the road in places.
  • Pavement change: grooved pavement or a metal grid bridge deck.
  • End of paved surface: gravel or dirt begins.

Other warnings

  • Bumpy road: surface irregularities.
  • Falling rocks: rocks or landslides possible from an unstable slope beside the road.
  • Drawbridge ahead; low-flying aircraft; airport, seaplane base, heliport.
  • No entry ahead for trucks except local delivery.
  • Risk of getting stuck (usually at runaway-lane arrester beds).
  • Fog warning and blowing snow warning: flashing lights mean fog / wind-blown snow is present.
  • Be visible: headlights and tail lights must be on in the tunnel.
  • Road work signs have an orange background (regulatory, information or warning). Barriers close part or all of the road at the start of a work site. Visual markers mark work site limits and lane narrowing, show direction, warn of painting in progress.

Road work, information and cyclist signs

Orange work-site signs, flagperson signals, work-zone speed limits, detours and lane merges, green and blue guide and service signs, exit signs, and signs for cyclists.

Practise Road work, information and cyclist signs questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Sign colours (context)

  • Orange = road work; yellow = danger warnings; green, brown or blue = information signs.

Road work signs

  • Work site signs have an orange background and can be regulatory, information or warning signs.
  • Barriers close part or all of a road at the start of a work site.
  • Visual markers (direction markers, cones, flares, barrels) show work-site boundaries and lane narrowing, the direction to follow, road painting, or direct traffic.
  • Signs give the distance to a work site, the length of the work site in kilometres and the end of the work site.

Work-zone speed limit

  • Orange speed limit signs show the maximum speed near a work site and carry the same legal force as the equivalent white sign (yellow signs only recommend a speed).
  • Fines for any speeding offence in a road construction zone marked by signs and signals are doubled.
  • A diamond-shaped sign announces the new speed limit ahead.

Advance road work signs

  • Show a work site ahead and the type of work (road work, equipment above the road, surveying, work on an exit ramp, heavy machinery, length of the site, grader or snowblower in or near a lane, emergency response team).
  • A sign on an accompanying vehicle warns of stopped traffic ahead due to work or lane changes; another sign shows a road closed for a sporting event.

Flagperson

  • A flagperson uses a two-sided sign (front and back) to direct traffic near a work site; a flag may also be used to slow or stop traffic.
  • Flagperson signals shown: stop, proceed, slow down. (The drawings are not described in words; gestures not noted.)
  • Flagperson-ahead sign: extreme caution; traffic may be slowed, detoured or stopped because of workers and machinery; a flagperson's orders must be obeyed.

Parking, closures, merges, detours

  • Temporary no-parking signs for road work, events or maintenance; may give times, days and area.
  • Signs for an area ahead temporarily closed, and for an area closed (with a detour sign).
  • Local traffic only: closed to everyone except local residents and business customers; may list services still open.
  • Lane merge: one lane temporarily closed; use the lane that stays open.
  • Detour: route to follow around a work site; advance detour signs for a closed lane or exit.
  • Alternate route: suggested route because work ahead may cause congestion.
  • Directional arrow: before road work, shows which way to change lanes or roadways.

Other work-site warnings

  • Warning chevron: obstacle on the road that may be passed on the left or right.
  • Low shoulder: shoulder lower than the roadway.
  • Blasting zone: turn off radio transmitters and cell phones.
  • Wet paint: mainly on accompanying vehicles; pavement markings being painted.
  • Traffic survey staff on the road; horizontal clearance narrower than the width shown; loose gravel may be thrown; loaded trucks entering from an access road; temporary use (or ban) of the shoulder; duration of work; lane diverted.

Destination guide signs

  • Six types of information signs: destination guide, route locator, nearby services, information, tourist facilities, fuel and food on highways.
  • Advance sign for a municipality with several exits shows the number of exits or the last exit; succession-of-exits sign gives distance to each upcoming exit.
  • Advance exit sign: connecting road number, main destinations, exit number and distance to the exit.
  • Exit direction sign repeats the advance sign; its arrow marks the start of the deceleration lane.
  • Exit lane only: traffic in that lane must exit. Exclusive exit lanes are always shown by a series of three signs (advance exit, exit direction, exit confirmation) so drivers can change lanes in time.
  • Exit confirmation: start of the exit ramp, its direction and exit number.
  • Directional sign: main destinations reachable from each branch of the intersection. Distance reminder: distance to the destinations listed.

Route locators

  • Route markers for numbered roads, highways, the Trans-Canada, highway names and road names; highway access signs; tourist routes.
  • Border signs: one type at the Québec border on roads numbered 100–199, highways and international airport exits; another on roads numbered 200–399 or unnumbered roads.
  • Compass-point signs show the general direction of the road and may have a blue background.
  • Kilometre post: distance from the starting point of the road or highway.

Services

  • Hospital sign: emergency services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Also CLSC, emergency parking, emergency telephone, fire hydrant, police stations (Sûreté du Québec or other).
  • Distressed vehicle detector: lights up only right after a crash (e.g. a vehicle went through a barrier into a deep ditch on an isolated road); act immediately to help and notify police.

Information signs

  • Turnaround: median area only for U-turns.
  • Priority turn on flashing green light: the green includes a flashing phase giving priority to turning vehicles.
  • Push-button sign: pedestrians or cyclists press the button to get a crossing signal.
  • Metric sign: tells U.S. visitors Québec signs are metric.
  • Aircraft patrolled sign; runaway lane with arrester bed for vehicles with failed brakes; passing lane; road without services (distance to the next gas stations); exclusive towing company; photo radar / photographic traffic control surveillance.

Tourist and fuel signs

  • Government rest areas show a fleur-de-lys; municipal ones say "Halte municipale" instead; may show the distance to the next two rest areas.
  • Fuel letters: D = diesel, N = natural gas, P = propane (with 24 h if open around the clock).

Signs for cyclists

  • Cyclists may ride on most Québec roads, except highways.
  • Four types of cycling facilities: paved shoulders (marked with a solid white line, ride with traffic), shared roadways (light, slow traffic; signs only), bike lanes (part of the roadway, marked or separated, cyclists only), bike paths (cyclists only, often away from traffic).
  • Bicycle tab: the regulatory sign applies to cyclists only.
  • Children must ride with an adult: cyclists under 12 need an adult with them on a public road whose posted limit is over 50 km/h.
  • Cyclist no-passing sign: no riding side by side; start of the zone (separate sign for the end).
  • Bicycle symbol at a pedestrian light: cyclists cross on the walk signal.
  • Steep uphill/downhill signs: grade over 6% (6 m rise or drop per 100 m).
  • Bicycle crossing / bicycles ahead warning; with a tab, cyclists on a paved shoulder along a cycling route.
  • Route verte: provincial cycling route over 5,000 km (off-road paths, paved shoulders, quiet roads).

Highway Safety Code provisions

  • Only the body maintaining a public road may put up signs or signals, to Ministère des Transports standards.
  • Forbidden: putting up a sign on a public road without authorization; displaying one on private property that encroaches on the road, causes confusion or blocks an official sign; driving across private property to avoid a sign or signal.
  • Everyone must obey signs and signals, and must obey a peace officer, school crossing guard or work-site flagperson even when their orders contradict the signs or signals.

Slow-moving vehicle sign

  • Any road vehicle travelling under 40 km/h must display the orange triangle warning sign (p. 220: orange triangle with reflective dark red edges).

Getting your Class 5 licence

Minimum age, the mandatory driving course, the learner's licence and its rules, when you can take the knowledge and road tests, the probationary licence and passenger limits for young drivers.

Practise Getting your Class 5 licence questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Basic requirements

  • A first licence is normally a Class 5 (passenger vehicle) licence, reached by holding a learner's licence, then a probationary licence.
  • Minimum age: 16.
  • Under 18: written consent from a person with parental authority is required.
  • Two pieces of ID are required. The first: from the Directeur de l'état civil du Québec (or a recognized civil authority elsewhere in Canada), a Canadian citizenship certificate or other legal proof of citizenship, a Permanent Resident Card or a Canadian passport. The second may be a provincial health insurance card.

Eligibility

  • Must be a Canadian citizen or authorized to stay in Canada more than six months, with principal residence in Québec.
  • At least 16; consent of father, mother or legal guardian if under 18.
  • You may register for the driving course before turning 16 to do the theory part.

Registering for the driving course

  • The driving course (Road Safety Education Program) is mandatory before driving a passenger vehicle.
  • Four learning phases that alternate theory modules and in-car sessions; focus on visual scanning, anticipating risk, dangerous behaviour (speed, alcohol, drugs, distraction) and sharing the road.
  • Given by driving schools recognized by the AQTr (handbook); the Class 5 page says a school recognized by the SAAQ.

Getting a learner's licence

  • A knowledge test is taken at the end of Phase 1 (the Class 5 page says it is given by the driving school, Module 5).
  • To get the learner's licence at an SAAQ service centre: prove identity, fill out the Declaration of Illness or Impairment and meet medical requirements, pass the SAAQ vision test, bring the driving school attestation.
  • Learner's licence must be held at least 12 months.
  • Learner rules: an authorized person must always sit in the front passenger seat to help and advise; no driving between midnight and 5 a.m.; no driving after consuming alcohol or drugs.
  • Learner with 4 or more demerit points: licence revoked, must wait 3 months before getting a new one.

Obtaining a learner's licence

  • A learner's licence is valid for 18 months; if you have not obtained your probationary licence within that time, it can be renewed for another 12 months.
  • Payment by credit card is not accepted at service outlets.

Practising driving

  • During the course, a learner may drive with a driving instructor.
  • Outside class, the accompanying rider must have held a valid passenger vehicle licence for at least 2 years, sit beside the learner and be ready to help and advise.
  • A probationary licence holder can never be an accompanying rider.

Knowledge test

  • SAAQ knowledge test is taken during the course, at an SAAQ service centre, by appointment, after holding the learner's licence at least 10 months.
  • Checks knowledge of regulations, signs and signals, and behaviour in various situations.
  • Three sections: Highway Safety Code; road signs, pavement markings and traffic signals; behaviours and techniques for driving a passenger vehicle. All multiple choice.
  • Pass mark: 75% on each of the three sections. After a failure, wait at least 28 days; retake only the failed sections (fees apply each time).
  • Takes 30 to 60 minutes.
  • Cheating (possessing or using any electronic device, outside help, filming/recording) = automatic fail and a 90-day wait before retaking; 180 days for a repeat (Class 5 page, French version updated Sept 9, 2026; the older Preparing for the Tests page still says 56/90).
  • Passing the knowledge test does not exempt you from the remaining theory modules and in-car sessions.

Passing the road test

  • Requirements: appointment, knowledge test passed, learner's licence held at least 12 months, completed driving course attestation from a recognized school.
  • Failure: wait at least 28 days before retaking.

Probationary licence

  • Obtained at an SAAQ service centre after passing the road test.
  • Must hold a valid probationary licence for 24 months before getting a regular driver's licence; the 24 months only count while it is valid.
  • 4 or more demerit points: revoked and suspended for at least 3 months.
  • Zero tolerance: no trace of alcohol or drugs when driving.
  • Cannot be an accompanying rider for a learner.

Carrying passengers

  • Applies to probationary licence holders aged 19 or under, between midnight and 5 a.m., for passengers who are also 19 or under.
  • 6 months or less of experience: 1 such passenger. Between 6 and 12 months: up to 3.
  • Immediate family does not count: spouse (married, civil union or de facto), the driver's or spouse's children, brothers and sisters, other children of the driver's mother or father or of their spouses.
  • Limits do not apply once the driver has more than 12 months of experience, or when someone who has held a licence for 2 or more years sits in the front passenger seat able to help and advise.

Driver's licence and demerit brackets

  • After 24 months of probationary experience, obtain the regular driver's licence at an SAAQ outlet.
  • Brackets: learner and probationary 4 points; driver's licence under 23: 8; age 23 or 24: 12; 25 or older: 15.

Licence classes

  • Québec has 13 licence classes. You cannot jump directly from one class to another; conditions may require 1 to 3 years of experience or a health professional's report.
  • Additional classes require knowledge and road tests after a vision test.

Intro

  • A Class 5 licence covers a passenger vehicle (two axles, net mass under 4,500 kg), motor home, tool vehicle, service vehicle, moped or scooter, farm tractor (conditions apply) and three-wheeled Slingshot/T-Rex-type vehicles.

Licence conditions and driver obligations

Health declarations and licence conditions, documents you must carry, change of address, renewal, new residents and non-residents driving in Québec.

Practise Licence conditions and driver obligations questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Health requirements

  • Some conditions are incompatible with safe driving (examples listed: sight disorders, heart disease, mental illness, alcoholism, drug dependency, epilepsy, diabetes, kidney or respiratory disease).
  • On application and renewal, you must declare health conditions that may affect driving using the Declaration of Illness or Impairment form.
  • Any change in your health must be reported to the SAAQ within 30 days.
  • Most often the SAAQ issues a licence with conditions: glasses/contacts/hearing aid, adapted equipment, limits on time, period or area, limits on vehicle types, alcohol ignition interlock only.

Licence conditions (letters)

  • A: glasses or contact lenses when driving.
  • B: daytime driving only.
  • C: hearing aid (Classes 2, 4A, 4B, 4C).
  • D/E/F/G: medical exam every 5 years / 6 months / year / 2 years (in the record, not printed on the licence).
  • H: vehicle with net weight under 2,500 kg only.
  • I: alcohol ignition interlock following a medical diagnosis.
  • J: automatic transmission. K: power steering. L: power brakes. N: safety harness. P: hand controls. Q: manual headlight brightness control. R: accelerator on the left. S: medical restrictions shown on licence. V: controls adapted to the handicap. W: no Class 1, 2, 3, 4B vehicles in the U.S.
  • X: alcohol ignition interlock following a criminal conviction.
  • Y: must comply with the zero alcohol rule.

Assessments and suspensions for health

  • SAAQ may require a proficiency exam or health assessment if: you are 70 or older; your licence covers heavy vehicles, buses, minibuses, emergency vehicles or taxis; no exam within the last 10 years; reasonable grounds to check health or driving; not authorized to drive for 3 years or longer.
  • Tests may be required to change class; a health assessment may be required to change a licence condition.
  • Licence can be suspended for a false health declaration or failing to declare, refusing a medical exam or not sending the report, refusing or failing a proficiency test, or an illness/disability that endangers road safety.

Driver's obligations

  • You must hold and carry a valid, signed licence and obey its conditions.
  • Driving without the proper licence class: police may seize the vehicle and impound it for 30 days.
  • Vehicle documents to carry: valid signed registration certificate; valid proof of insurance or certificate of financial responsibility; lease contract (original or copy) if leased for under one year; written proof of the loan period for a dealer loan vehicle.
  • Driving/owning a vehicle without liability insurance and being in an accident with more than $500 property damage: licence (any type) suspended and vehicles in your name may not be operated until the SAAQ gets a payment guarantee or proof of settlement.
  • Some documents are also required on private roads open to the public, logging roads and shopping centre parking lots. Documents must be shown to a peace officer on demand.

One document only / address / replacement

  • Offence to hold more than one valid licence (from the SAAQ or another Canadian or U.S. authority), to lend your licence, or to give false or misleading information to get one.
  • Licence address must be your principal residence; report a change of address within 30 days (web, mail, in person, phone). Keep the SAAQ confirmation with your licence.
  • An illegible, damaged, lost, destroyed or stolen licence, or one with invalid information, must be replaced: fee plus two valid pieces of ID.

Renewing a licence

  • The plastic photo licence is meant to last four years, but the right to drive is valid for one year; the licence fee is due every year, even without a notice.
  • The insurance contribution part of the fee depends on your demerit points.
  • Not paying means you cannot drive; offence with a minimum fine of $300, among other penalties.
  • Licence invalid for 3 years or more: must pass a knowledge test and a road test again.

New residents

  • New Québec residents with a valid licence may drive a passenger vehicle for six months without a Québec licence; after that a Québec licence is required.
  • Class 5–equivalent licence from a Canadian province or territory, the U.S., or a country with an exchange agreement: may be exchanged for a Class 5 licence without a proficiency exam.
  • Other jurisdictions: licence held at least one year on arrival → must pass a knowledge exam and road test; held less than one year → not recognized, same requirements as a first licence.
  • Any vehicle other than a passenger vehicle requires a valid Québec licence for everyone from outside Québec.

Non-residents

  • Non-residents may drive in Québec for no more than six consecutive months without an SAAQ licence, if their licence is valid and issued by a jurisdiction that gives Québec residents the same right; drive only vehicles covered by it and respect its conditions.
  • Students, cooperants or trainees enrolled in a Québec institution: no Québec licence needed for a passenger vehicle for the length of studies/internship (same reciprocity condition).
  • International driver's permit: may drive vehicles allowed by your licence during the permit's validity; the permit must always be accompanied by the original, valid licence.

Demerit points and licence revocation

Demerit point brackets by licence and age, revocation periods, how long points stay on your record, restricted licences, and the points for common offences.

Practise Demerit points and licence revocation questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Revocation and suspension

  • Revocation: licence becomes invalid; you lose the right to drive for a set period and must meet Highway Safety Code conditions to get a new one.
  • Suspension: licence is temporarily invalid. Suspension of the right to obtain a licence: SAAQ cannot issue any licence for a period (can apply to people who never had one).
  • Causes: unpaid fines (Highway Safety Code or municipal traffic/parking rules), accumulated demerit points, driving-related Criminal Code conviction, arrest for alcohol- or drug-impaired driving, interception for excessive speeding, street racing or car surfing.

Offences elsewhere, unpaid fines, consequences

  • Certain offences in other Canadian provinces/territories or reciprocating U.S. states put demerit points on your Québec record as if committed in Québec.
  • Unpaid fine: the SAAQ suspends any licence you hold (or your right to obtain one) after a written notice, until it is told the fine is paid.
  • Driving during a suspension: police may seize the vehicle for 30 days at the owner's expense; owner fined $300 to $600 plus costs.
  • Seizure can be 90 days if, in the previous 10 years, you were prohibited from acquiring, registering, renting or operating a vehicle because of an impaired-driving offence.

Demerit point brackets

  • Learner's or probationary licence: revoked at 4 or more points.
  • Driver's licence, under 23: 8 or more. Age 23 or 24: 12 or more. 25 or older: 15 or more.
  • Points are entered when the SAAQ receives the notice of judgment confirming the conviction, not on the date of the offence or judgment. You get a notice of upcoming revocation when the limit is reached.
  • Driving during a demerit-point penalty period: fine $600 to $2,000 and 30-day seizure/impoundment of the vehicle.
  • Heavy vehicle, taxi and emergency vehicle drivers must tell the responsible person/owner if their licence is changed, suspended or revoked.

After four demerit points

  • 4 or more points on a new driver's record: revocation for at least three months, with no new licence during that time.
  • Applies to Class 5 or 6A learners who don't already hold a driver's licence, probationary holders, and Class 6D or Class 8 holders licensed less than five years.
  • The required 12 months (learner) or 24 months (probationary) are extended by the time the licence was invalid.
  • Former probationary holders must pass a reinstatement test; former learners go to a service centre to get a new licence.

After 8, 12 or 15 points

  • Revocation (or suspension of the right to obtain a licence) for 3, 6 or 12 months: first, second or third time the bracket is reached within the previous two years.
  • To get a new licence: pass a knowledge test (appointment set so the penalty is over), pay test fees and the licence amount; licence costs more because the insurance contribution rises with points.

Points and your record

  • Points stay on the record for two years from the date of conviction or of paying the fine (paying = conviction).
  • On revocation, the SAAQ subtracts 8, 12 or 15 points (driver's licence) or 4 points (learner/probationary); any extra points stay two years from the latest conviction or payment.
  • Example: 14 points + offence bringing it to 16 → revoked, 15 erased, 1 point left, which disappears two years after the latest conviction.
  • No points are erased when renewing a licence, getting a first licence or getting a new one after revocation.

Restricted licence

  • Possible only after a first accumulation of points in the previous two years (4 for probationary; 8, 12 or 15 for driver's licence) and only if your main livelihood requires driving.
  • File a motion with the Court of Québec and inform the SAAQ; prove to the judge that you need to drive for work; the SAAQ issues the restricted licence once it receives the judge's order.

Speeding demerit points (zones: 60 km/h or less / over 60 to 90 / 100 km/h)

  • 11–20 km/h over: 1 point in all zones. 21–30: 2. 31–39: 3 in all zones.
  • 40–45 over: 6 in a 60-or-less zone; 3 in the other zones.
  • 46–49 over: 10 / 5 / 5. 50–59 over: 10 / 10 / 5. 60 over: 10 in all zones.
  • 61–80 over: 14. 81–100: 18. 101–120: 24. 121 or more: 30 or more.

Excessive speeding

  • 40 km/h or more over in a zone of 60 km/h or less; 50 km/h or more over in a zone over 60 up to 90 km/h; 60 km/h or more over in a 100 km/h zone.

Other offences and points

  • 2 points: accelerating while being passed; not yielding to pedestrians/cyclists at an intersection; not yielding to oncoming traffic; passing a bicycle too closely; tailgating; sudden braking without cause; too fast for conditions.
  • 3 points: illegal passing on the right or left; illegal reversing; not stopping before a permitted right on red; no seat belt; no helmet (motorcycle, moped, scooter); crossing a solid lane line where prohibited; not stopping at a level crossing when required; failing to obey a stop sign or red light.
  • 4 points: disobeying a school crossing guard, flagperson or peace officer; zigzag passing; passing in the oncoming lane where prohibited; speeding or reckless driving; not yielding to an emergency vehicle with lights/siren on; not slowing down or changing lanes near a stopped vehicle with flashing/rotating lights or yellow arrow.
  • 5 points: driving while using an electronic device.
  • 9 points: dangerous goods in a prohibited tunnel; driver in an accident failing in their duty; bus/minibus/dangerous goods vehicle not stopping at a level crossing; not stopping for a school bus or minibus with flashing lights or stop sign on, or illegally passing it in either direction.
  • 12 points: racing or driving for a wager; holding on to a moving vehicle or tolerating it (car surfing).

Points for learners, probationary drivers, interlock holders, under 22, etc.

  • 4 points each: learner driving without an accompanying rider; driving with alcohol in the body; failing to provide a breath sample; driving during the prohibited period; probationary holder 19 or under carrying certain passengers during the prohibited period. (Table layout is garbled in the source; only the 4-point values are used.)

Alcohol, drugs and impaired driving

Blood alcohol limits, the zero-alcohol rule for new and young drivers, drug limits, care or control of a vehicle, roadside suspensions, vehicle impoundment and the cost of a first offence.

Practise Alcohol, drugs and impaired driving questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Criminal Code offences

  • The Criminal Code is federal and applies in every province and territory.
  • Conviction for certain conveyance offences leads to licence revocation or suspension of the right to obtain one: dangerous driving; failure to stop (police pursuit or accident); BAC and BDC combined at or above the regulated levels; BDC at or above the regulated level; driving or care or control while impaired by alcohol or drugs; driving or care or control with BAC over 0.08 (80 mg per 100 ml of blood); refusing a peace officer's order (breath sample, coordination test).

Minimum period without a licence

  • The longer of the judge's order and the Highway Safety Code period applies.
  • First conviction: 1 year (4 years for failure to stop). Second within 10 years: 3 years (5 years for failure to stop). Third: 5 years.
  • A judge may order longer. Other conditions may apply (e.g. knowledge test).
  • Same penalties for these offences committed in other provinces/territories or reciprocating U.S. states.

Criminal Code: alcohol

  • You can be arrested and convicted with a BAC over 0.08 (80 mg/100 ml).
  • At any time while you drive, police can order you to blow into an approved screening device; if they suspect alcohol, they can also require roadside coordination tests, then arrest you and take you to the station for a breathalyzer.

Drugs and medication

  • Suspected drugs/medication: coordination tests or a saliva test, which can be enough to arrest and require a blood sample.
  • Cannabis (THC) blood levels set by federal regulation: 2 ng/ml; 5 ng/ml; 2.5 ng/ml combined with BAC of 50 mg/100 ml or more.
  • Other federally controlled drugs: any detectable trace can lead to charges (exception: GHB).
  • With reasonable grounds of impairment, police can arrest without any test. Tests can lead to an evaluating officer's tests at the station.
  • Refusing ordered tests is a criminal offence with the stiffest penalties.

Care or control

  • Having care or control while impaired is prohibited, not only driving. Examples: sitting in the driver's seat even if the vehicle is stopped or broken down; being in the vehicle (even asleep in the back) with the possibility of starting it; being near the vehicle, e.g. brushing off snow or loading the trunk.
  • Police assess whether driving was possible and whether there was an intent to drive.

Highway Safety Code measures (Québec)

  • BAC 0.08 or more: immediate 90-day licence suspension; immediate 90-day vehicle impoundment for a repeat offence.
  • BAC 0.16 or more: 90-day suspension; 30-day impoundment (90 for repeat); assessment program; interlock depending on situation.
  • Refusing a peace officer's orders: 90-day suspension; 30-day impoundment (90 for repeat); assessment program; interlock depending on situation.
  • Zero alcohol for drivers under 22, learners and probationary holders: 90-day suspension, 4 demerit points, fine $300 to $600.
  • Zero alcohol for bus, minibus and taxi drivers: 24-hour ban on driving those vehicles.
  • Heavy vehicle drivers, limit 0.05: 24-hour ban on driving those vehicles.
  • Failing evaluating officer's tests (drugs, medication, or alcohol plus drugs): 90-day suspension; 90-day impoundment for repeat.
  • Alternatives: taxi or transit, designated driver, sleep over, drive-home service (Operation Red Nose, Tolérance Zéro).

Fine for drivers subject to zero alcohol

  • Driving or care or control after consuming alcohol (learner, probationary, age 21 or younger, or under 22 with less than 5 years holding only a Class 6D or 8 licence): $300 to $600.

Alcohol

  • In Québec, alcohol is a factor in about 32% of road deaths, 16% of serious injuries and 5% of minor injuries (2006–2010 averages: 185 deaths and over 2,500 injuries a year).
  • A BAC of 0.05 can significantly impair an average adult.
  • Young drivers are more affected: at 0.03, a 16–19-year-old driver has three times the risk of a fatal accident.
  • Effects come faster on an empty stomach or when tired.
  • Host tips include stopping alcohol service at least one hour before the end of the evening.
  • Regular drinkers only get an illusion of sobriety. Food slows absorption but does not prevent a high BAC.
  • The liver eliminates 90% of alcohol at a fixed rate per hour; walks or showers don't help; only time works.

Effects on driving

  • Observation: fixing on one point, poor distance judgment, slower adaptation to darkness and glare, reduced sense of danger.
  • Decisions: slower brain activity, harder to spot problems or decide quickly.
  • Execution: overconfidence, loss of coordination, abrupt imprecise movements.

Drugs and medication

  • All drugs and certain medications (anxiolytics, antidepressants, sedatives) impair driving; combined with alcohol, accident risk rises sharply.
  • Cannabis may be legal but driving under its influence is dangerous and prohibited: lower vigilance, slower reflexes, poor coordination, longer reaction time, missed signs, veering, unsafe passing, longer braking.
  • Minor tranquilizers and sleeping pills can act like alcohol; antihistamines can cause drowsiness. Read the label; ask a doctor or pharmacist.
  • Don't drink alcohol while taking medication; effects multiply.

Penalties and costs, first offence

  • On arrest (Highway Safety Code): suspension of 24 hours or 90 days and 30-day impoundment, depending on situation.
  • After criminal conviction (HSC): revocation of 1 or 3 years or longer; assessment program, Alcofrein, mandatory interlock as applicable.
  • Criminal Code: criminal record, mandatory minimum fine of $1,000, minimum one-year driving prohibition.
  • First offence costs at least $1,750, plus lawyer, interlock, higher insurance premiums, court fees, IVAC contribution.
  • Repeat offence: 90-day impoundment, driving prohibition of at least two years, prison, ban on registering/acquiring/renting a vehicle in your name, alcohol ignition interlock for life.

Vision, fatigue, distraction and attitude

How vision, physical problems, fatigue and emotions affect driving, the ban on hand-held electronic devices and its penalties, observation, and keeping your judgment in traffic.

Practise Vision, fatigue, distraction and attitude questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Factors that influence driving

  • Driving means deciding, not just steering: you judge distance, your speed, road condition and other users (e.g. where and how hard to brake before a stop sign).
  • Health, personality, feelings and general state all influence your driving decisions.

Vision / Visual acuity

  • About 90% of the information you need to drive comes through your eyes.
  • Visual acuity = seeing detail at a distance; people with weaker acuity often do not notice. It tends to decline with age and health; only regular eye exams detect a gradual loss.

Field of vision, stereoscopic vision, corrective lenses

  • Field of vision = what you take in while looking at one point; it must let you see sudden obstacles ahead and to both sides.
  • The faster you go, the narrower your field of vision gets. Drugs, alcohol and fatigue narrow it too; so can eye or neurological problems and glasses with very wide temples.
  • Stereoscopic (depth) vision lets you judge distances to objects, even moving ones.
  • If you need glasses or contact lenses to drive, your licence shows Condition A; driving without them is an offence (fine).

Night vision

  • Night driving is riskier for everyone because headlight range is limited.
  • Signs are reflective and visible from far away; non-reflective objects are seen only up close, so do not judge your headlight range by reflective objects alone.
  • Two key night abilities: seeing in low light and resisting glare. Recovery from glare gets slower with age.
  • Do not wear dark glasses (sunglasses) at night: they reduce visual acuity.

Physical problems

  • Health professionals may report to the SAAQ anyone aged 14 or older they consider medically or visually unfit to drive; they cannot be sued for doing so.
  • The SAAQ may suspend a licence, change its conditions, refuse it, or require a new exam or medical assessment.
  • Migraine, fever and similar problems: avoid driving. If you feel ill while driving, stop in a safe place.

Fatigue and mental state

  • Most common causes of drowsiness: lack of sleep, a monotonous road, being unused to night driving, a car interior that is too warm (a heavy meal can also cause it).
  • Warning signs (yawning, itchy eyes, brief hallucinations) mean it is time to stop. Stretching helps on long trips; a few minutes' rest may help briefly, but only sleep really restores you once drowsiness sets in.
  • Do not drive under psychological stress or strong emotion (sadness, anger).

Electronic devices

  • Drivers may not use a hand-held electronic device. Holding one (in the hand or any other way) = presumed to be using it, whether it is switched on or not.
  • Covers cell phones, MP3/portable media players, portable satellite radios, tablets, screens showing information not useful for driving, devices for email/Internet.
  • Hands-free use is permitted but not advised: talking on the phone is itself a distraction.
  • "While driving" includes being stopped for signs, signals or traffic (waiting at a red light, in a traffic jam).

Electronic devices (continued)

  • Stopped safely and legally at the side of the road = no longer driving, even with the engine running.
  • Allowed: dashboard-installed or dashboard-mounted equipment where only the microphone/receiver is held, e.g. CB radios, walkie-talkies, central battery telephone systems.
  • Tips: switch the device off before leaving; if you must use it, pull off where parking is allowed and safe — e.g. roadside where the limit is under 70 km/h (Guide de la route 4th ed. (2024), p. 65: "moins de 70 km/h"), a parking lot, a service area; or let a passenger handle it.
  • Except in an emergency, nobody may stop on a highway shoulder or on highway access/exit ramps.

Electronic devices: legal consequences

  • First offence: 5 demerit points + fine of $300 to $600.
  • Repeat offence (within a 2-year reference period): another 5 points, minimum fine doubles to $600, and immediate licence suspension: 1st repeat 3 days, 2nd repeat 7 days, 3rd or later repeat 30 days.

Alcohol

  • In Québec alcohol is a factor in collisions linked to about 32% of deaths, 16% of serious injuries, 5% of minor injuries (2006–2010 average: 185 deaths and over 2,500 injuries a year).
  • Impairment can start below 0.08 (80 mg/100 ml); 0.05 (50 mg/100 ml) can already significantly impair an average adult.
  • Young drivers are more affected: at 0.03 (30 mg/100 ml), a driver aged 16–19 has three times the risk of a fatal accident.
  • Hosts: stop serving alcohol at least one hour before the evening ends; arrange rides; offer guests a bed.
  • Regular drinkers only get an illusion of sobriety. Food slows absorption but does not prevent a high BAC.
  • The liver eliminates 90% of alcohol at a fixed rate; walks or showers do nothing — only time eliminates alcohol.
  • Effects: fixed stare instead of scanning, poorer distance judgment and night adaptation, slower glare recovery, more risk-taking, slower decisions, overconfidence, poor coordination.

Drugs and medication

  • All drugs (cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines…) and some medications (anxiolytics, antidepressants, sedatives…) impair driving; combined with alcohol the risk rises sharply.
  • Cannabis may be legal, but driving under its influence is prohibited (less vigilance, slower reflexes, poor coordination, impaired judgment).
  • Tranquilizers and sleeping pills can act like alcohol; antihistamines can cause drowsiness — read the label, ask a doctor or pharmacist. Do not drink alcohol while on medication.

Your mind-set

  • Rush hour and getting on/off highways are common sources of driver conflict; moderate your behaviour.
  • Highway Safety Code: all road users must be careful and considerate, especially toward vulnerable users (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists); drivers must take extra care around them.
  • Plan times and routes to avoid congestion instead of using the shoulder or stop-and-go tactics.

Observation; staying alert and judgment

  • Look ahead, to both sides and behind before passing, changing lanes, crossing an intersection or merging.
  • More accidents happen at night and on weekends: be extra vigilant then.
  • Accept delay rather than make a hasty move; road work, fog, a lost driver ahead etc. call for patience.

Your vehicle: registration, equipment and winter tires

Vehicle registration and insurance, required lights, brakes, mirrors and windows, studded and winter tire dates, clearing snow, mechanical inspection and doing your own checks.

Practise Your vehicle: registration, equipment and winter tires questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Vehicle registration: general provisions

  • Register as soon as you take possession of the vehicle, or before a dealer's temporary registration expires.
  • New residents of Québec: apply to register within six months of arriving.
  • Registration stays valid as long as the vehicle and owner stay the same; the SAAQ issues a plate and registration certificate.

Vehicles exempt from registration

  • Examples: snowblowers of 900 kg net or less; farm tractors not used on public roads; snowmobiles of 55 kg net or less with top speed under 15 km/h; non-resident snowmobiles of 450 kg or less registered at home; ride-on toy vehicles; golf carts; garden tractors/riding mowers; vehicles used only inside a building.

Requirements to register

  • Meet regulatory conditions, pay fees, give the odometer reading when registering a used vehicle.
  • An unpaid fine or being a repeat impaired-driving offender can block registration.
  • Heavy vehicles (GVWR 4,500 kg or more, buses, minibuses, tow trucks, hazardous-material vehicles) must also be entered in the Commission des transports du Québec register.

Cost, mandatory insurance, minors, refusal

  • Cost includes registration fee, Québec automobile insurance plan contribution and taxes, admin charges, public transit contribution if applicable.
  • Every owner must have third-party liability insurance of at least $50,000 to drive on public roads in Québec.
  • Under 18: written consent of a parent or legal guardian is needed to register a vehicle.
  • No registration if you cannot prove (co-)ownership or an interest in the owning business, or are under a prohibition.

Conditions of registration

  • Sign the registration certificate as soon as you get it.
  • Anyone named on a registration certificate must tell the SAAQ of a change of address within 30 days (can be done online).
  • Driver must carry the registration certificate and liability insurance card and show them to a peace officer on request.
  • Plate goes on the rear of the vehicle (road tractors with a fifth wheel: front).

Plates and annual fees

  • Plate must be legible, clean and lit at night; an officer can make you clean it. No look-alike plates.
  • Driving with an illegible damaged plate: fine. Lost/damaged certificate: apply for a replacement (fee).
  • Annual fees: no grace period; extra charges if late; you cannot drive while you owe the SAAQ money.

Discarding, storing, reimbursement, transfers

  • Tell the SAAQ if you discard a vehicle; it needs a mechanical inspection at your expense before it can return to the road.
  • Storage: tell the SAAQ; plate stays on; you may not drive it. A vehicle stored more than 12 months needs a compliant inspection certificate before going back on the road.
  • Partial refund of registration/insurance contribution when a vehicle is discarded, stored, sold, damaged, stolen or exported.
  • Private sale: buyer and seller both go to an SAAQ service outlet. Exchange: each owner re-registers. Sale to a dealer: give the endorsed certificate; return the plate unless you buy another vehicle (may keep the same plate).

Identification numbers; compulsory equipment

  • Serial numbers are mandatory; altering or removing one without SAAQ consent is prohibited.
  • School-children vehicles carry "ÉCOLIERS" signs front and rear (roof sign for a passenger vehicle, removed/covered when not in school use).
  • Cars (not motorcycles/mopeds/scooters), front: at least two white headlights, two white or amber parking lights, two white or amber turn signals.
  • Rear: two red tail lights, two red reflectors, two red brake lights, two red or amber turn signals, a white backup light, a white plate light; plus side markers (red rear, amber front).
  • Vehicles 9.1 m or longer: extra amber side marker midway. Over 2 m wide: lights, reflectors or flares.

Wide vehicles, motorcycles, school buses

  • Over 2.03 m wide: amber clearance lights and three amber identification lights at the front; red ones at the rear.
  • Motorcycles/mopeds/scooters: at least one white headlight, one red tail light, one red brake light, turn signals front and rear; motorcycles also two yellow front and two red rear reflectors.
  • School buses: red and amber flashing lights front and rear, plus a retractable stop sign/arm (ARRÊT) with flashing red lights, used while children board or leave.

Flashing and rotating lights; fog lights

  • Red: emergency vehicles. Blue: police. Amber: service, equipment, escort, snow removal, road maintenance and special-permit (oversize) vehicles. Green: emergency vehicles at disaster sites or marking a command post. Since April 1, 2021 an authorized firefighter may also use a flashing green light in a personal vehicle on an emergency trip (Guide de la route 4th ed. (2024), pp. 87, 275).
  • Such lights on unauthorized vehicles can be confiscated at the owner's expense.
  • Optional fog lights: at the front, at the same height as the headlights — never higher.

Brakes; seat belt alteration

  • Service brake able to stop each load-bearing wheel quickly, plus a parking brake. Exempt: trailers of 1,300 kg or less, or under half the towing vehicle's net weight.
  • Driving with brakes altered to reduce effectiveness is an offence; an officer may impound/tow a vehicle with defective brakes at the owner's expense.
  • Driving with a missing, modified or disabled seat belt is prohibited: fine of $200 (table on p. 301 lists $200 to $300).

Air bags, screens, radar detectors

  • Deactivating an air bag is prohibited except via a manufacturer-installed switch; replacements must be new original parts (also control modules and pretensioner belts); fine $300 to $600.
  • Screens are allowed only if compliant with installation/use conditions (details on SAAQ site).
  • Installing, selling or driving with a radar detector is prohibited; an officer may stop and inspect, confiscate it at the owner's expense (receipt given); SAAQ may dispose of it after 90 days.

Horn, sirens, exhaust

  • Every vehicle needs a horn, used only when necessary. Only emergency vehicles may have sirens or devices to change traffic lights (anti-theft alarms excepted).
  • Exhaust: all manufacturer parts present, secure, no leaks; making it noisier or less effective is prohibited.

Windows, mirrors, speedometer

  • Glass must be transparent, shatter-resistant and free of material that reduces visibility.
  • No darkening substance on the windshield, except a strip at most 15 cm wide along its top edge.
  • Side windows on either side of the driver must let in at least 70% of light (photometer).
  • An officer can order you to clean or clear windows.
  • Cars: at least two mirrors — inside centre-top of windshield and outside on the driver's side; if the inside mirror can't be used, add a right-side outside mirror. Motorcycles/mopeds/scooters: one mirror each side.
  • Speedometer and odometer required (except mopeds, scooters, motorcycles up to 125 cc).

Tires and winter driving

  • Studded tires: allowed October 15 to May 1 on passenger vehicles, taxis and commercial vehicles of 3,000 kg GVW or less; studs on both ends of an axle, and if on the front axle then also on the rear.
  • Winter tires: December 1 to March 15 on all taxis and passenger vehicles registered in Québec; also on rental passenger vehicles in Québec.
  • Before leaving, clear snow and/or ice from windows, roof and hood; nothing may come loose while driving (mandatory).
  • Exemption certificates possible (Ministère des Transports rules).

Mudguards, natural gas/propane, modifications

  • Mudguards at least as wide as the tread (or rear bottom edge within 350 mm of the ground unloaded).
  • Propane/natural gas vehicles: compliance sticker, inspection every five years; fine $300 to $600.
  • No alteration of frame, body or mechanisms that may reduce stability or braking without SAAQ authorization; SAAQ approval also needed to change vehicle type.

Mechanical inspection

  • SAAQ has exclusive authority; accredited agents inspect light (under 4,500 kg GVWR) and heavy (4,500 kg or more) vehicles for a fee.
  • Officers may order an inspection (and set a deadline) or impound a vehicle that seems modified or dangerous.
  • Yearly: taxis, driving-school motorcycles/scooters, emergency vehicles, vehicles 4,500 kg GVWR or more, tow trucks under 4,500 kg. Every 6 months: other driving-school vehicles, school transport vehicles (incl. taxis), buses and minibuses.
  • Minor repairs: 48 hours to repair; after that the vehicle cannot return to the road until repaired or compliance proven. Major repairs: off the road until shown compliant.

Doing your own inspection

  • Check brakes (noise, pulling, slow stops), parking brake on a slope, mirrors, steering play and alignment (check alignment at least once a year), wipers, tires, exhaust noise, lights.
  • Seat belts: no cuts or tears; buckle works.
  • Headrest: middle level with your eyes or the top of your ears, no more than 7 cm from your head.
  • Drive belts: a broken belt makes power steering hard to use.
  • Shock absorbers: push down a corner; more than one bounce suggests a faulty shock.
  • Body: holes in the floor/trunk can let exhaust gases into the cab.

Seat belts, lane use and speed limits

Seat belts and child car seats, air bags and headrests, which lane to use, centre left-turn lanes, Québec's default speed limits and safe following distance.

Practise Seat belts, lane use and speed limits questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Seat belts

  • Seat belts are mandatory for every occupant, front and back, of a moving motor vehicle.
  • No one may drive if the driver's or a passenger's seat belt is missing, unusable or altered.
  • The driver is responsible for making sure passengers under 16 wear their belt properly.
  • Child restraint: the old rule used a sitting height under 63 cm (seat to top of head). The handbook says a new rule took effect April 18, 2019, but words it two ways: children "at least 145 cm tall or 9 years old" may use the belt, vs children "145 cm tall or less or under 9 years old" must be in a car seat. RESOLVED by the Guide de la route 4th ed. (2024), p. 215: a child shorter than 145 cm OR younger than 9 must be in a restraint or booster seat. Questions still use a child clearly under both thresholds.
  • The car seat/booster must suit the child's weight and height and be installed per the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Exception: in taxis and police vehicles the child uses the available seat belt.

Exemptions; air bags

  • SAAQ may issue a medical exemption certificate (full or partial, or allowing added devices).
  • Taxi drivers on the job are exempt on roads with a municipal speed limit or unnumbered roads.
  • No belt required while backing up, or for a passenger in a police wagon.
  • Front air bags protect head, neck and chest in head-on crashes. Air bags plus seat belts cut severe head injury risk by 75% and severe chest injury by 66%.
  • Other types: curtain, side, knee, inflatable seat belts. Deployed by an electronic module only in serious crashes; they deflate through tiny holes.

Reducing air bag risk

  • Infants: always in a rear-facing infant seat secured in the back seat (middle if the vehicle allows).
  • Children 12 and under: always in the back seat, in a seat suited to weight and height where required.
  • Always wear your belt.
  • Driver's seat back so there are at least 25 cm between the centre of the air bag cover and the middle of your chest.
  • SAAQ may authorize deactivation if a driver/passenger is at risk (Declaration of Requirement for Air Bag Deactivation form).

Headrests

  • Only 10% of drivers adjust their headrest correctly; a headrest too low (behind the neck) gives little protection in a rear-end crash (whiplash).
  • Best protection: headrest no more than 7 cm from the back of your head, and its middle level with your eyes or the top of your ears.

Traffic lane divisions (covered by pavement-markings topic)

  • Broken lines may be crossed when safe; solid lines generally not (exceptions listed). Not used for questions here.

Lane use: two or more lanes of two-way traffic

  • Drive in the right-hand lane. Use the left lane only to pass or avoid an obstacle, after checking it is free.

Centre left-turn lane; closed lane; one-way lanes

  • On two-way roads with three or five lanes, the centre lane is reserved for left turns only, for both directions; travel in the right-hand lanes and use the centre only to turn left.
  • If your lanes are closed/obstructed, you may use the nearest free oncoming lane after yielding to vehicles in it.
  • Two one-way lanes: generally keep to the far right.

Three one-way lanes; particular cases; medians; intersections

  • Three lanes: generally use one of the right-hand lanes.
  • On highways, the far left lane may be used to pass, turn left, avoid obstacles or move toward an exit lane.
  • You may slow in the left lane if signalling a left turn or a stop on the left side.
  • Where the speed limit is under 80 km/h (e.g. urban boulevard), either lane may be used; going faster than the next lane is not passing.
  • Do not cross medians/dividers except where signs allow. Use designated ramps to enter/exit highways.
  • In an intersection it is prohibited to stop, block a lane or change lanes.

Speed limits

  • Applies on public roads, private roads open to public traffic and shopping-centre lots.
  • Highways: 60 km/h minimum, 100 km/h maximum.
  • Concrete or asphalt roads: 90 km/h maximum.
  • Gravel roads: 70 km/h maximum.
  • School zones: 50 km/h maximum unless a sign shows another speed.
  • Cities, towns, villages: 50 km/h maximum unless otherwise posted.
  • Slow down at night, in fog, rain, snow, on slippery or uncleared roads, and near road work; but do not drive so slowly that you hinder traffic.

Distance between vehicles

  • Keep a distance that lets you stop without a crash if you brake suddenly; consider speed, density, weather, road surface.
  • The "two-second rule" can be used to estimate following distance.
  • Convoys on roads with a maximum of 70 km/h or more: leave enough space between vehicles to let other drivers pass.
  • (Passing rules start on p. 224 — covered by the passing-turning topic.)

Continue to part 2

Written in our own words from: Driver's Handbook (SAAQ)

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SAAQ Class 5 study guide: common questions

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