Canada Exam Prep
Saskatchewan Class 7 overview

Saskatchewan Class 7: Headlights, night, winter and rural roads

When headlights are required, dimming distances, glare, overdriving your headlights, winter driving and survival, black ice, whiteouts, curves, mountains and gravel grid roads.

  • 25 questions
  • Topic drill
0/25
Headlights, night, winter and rural roads · Question 1Score 0/0

While stranded in a snowstorm, you run the engine for heat. What must you keep clear?

Study reference: Saskatchewan Driver's Handbook (online edition, Rev. 2026), Ch. 3 Basic information and rules of the road — Headlights, Night driving and low visibility, Choosing the right speed; Ch. 6 Advanced driving skills — Winter driving, Curves and corners, Driving in mountains, Grid, municipal and resource access roads

All 25 questions in this test

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

  1. While stranded in a snowstorm, you run the engine for heat. What must you keep clear?

    1. The exhaust pipe
    2. The roof
    3. The hood ornament
    4. The trunk lock

  2. You are following another vehicle at night. Within what distance must you use low beams?

    1. 100 m
    2. 50 m
    3. 200 m
    4. 500 m

  3. How long can it take an older driver to recover from the glare of oncoming headlights?

    1. Up to 5 seconds
    2. Up to 25 seconds
    3. Up to 60 seconds
    4. Up to 1 second

  4. How should you brake on a long downhill mountain road?

    1. Hard, in short bursts
    2. In neutral to save fuel and reduce engine wear
    3. Lightly and continuously in a lower gear
    4. Only at the bottom

  5. According to the handbook, what is the main cause of winter collisions?

    1. Salt on the road
    2. Not adjusting to changing conditions
    3. Glare from other drivers' high beams at night
    4. Worn-out snow tires

  6. What following distance should you keep during the first few snowfalls of the season?

    1. Six seconds
    2. Three seconds
    3. Ten seconds
    4. Two seconds

  7. In winter, how low should you let your gas tank get?

    1. It doesn't matter in winter
    2. Until the warning light comes on
    3. Not below a quarter
    4. Not below half full

  8. An icy road looks the same at -2 C and -22 C. When is it more slippery?

    1. Only when snow is falling
    2. The same at both
    3. At -22 C
    4. At -2 C

  9. When don't you need to dim your high beams for oncoming traffic?

    1. On any four-lane road
    2. Divided highway, roadways 22 m or more apart
    3. When the other driver doesn't dim theirs first
    4. On gravel roads at night

  10. The forecast warns of black ice on the highway. What is black ice?

    1. Ice darkened by dirt, oil and road salt
    2. A thin, clear layer of ice on the road
    3. Thick ice on the shoulder
    4. Ice that forms only at night

  11. When should you avoid using cruise control?

    1. In daylight
    2. On icy or slippery roads
    3. On long trips
    4. On dry, straight highways

  12. You are stuck in deep snow and decide to rock the vehicle. What must you make sure of before changing gears?

    1. The wheels have stopped turning
    2. The parking brake is on
    3. The windows are open
    4. The engine is turned off

  13. Your truck has spotlamps. How far before an oncoming vehicle must you turn them off?

    1. At least 1,000 m
    2. At least 200 m
    3. At least 500 m
    4. At least 100 m

  14. What happens in a whiteout?

    1. Snow melts into slush
    2. Ice forms on the inside of your windshield
    3. Snowbanks block the road
    4. Sky, horizon and ground blend together

  15. About how far ahead should you be able to see when driving at night?

    1. About 30 seconds
    2. About 12 seconds
    3. About 3 seconds
    4. About 6 seconds

  16. Your car wanders in deep, loose gravel. How should you steer?

    1. Brake hard to regain control
    2. Speed up to get through it
    3. Turn the wheel hard each time
    4. Grip firmly and avoid over-steering

  17. You are stranded in your car during a blizzard. What should you do?

    1. Walk to the nearest farm
    2. Leave to flag down help
    3. Sleep with the engine on and windows shut
    4. Stay with your vehicle

  18. What is the most important part of driving a sharp curve?

    1. Braking hard in the middle
    2. Slowing down before you reach it
    3. Accelerating into it
    4. Moving to the shoulder

  19. At night you spot something on the road but can't tell what it is. What should you do?

    1. Swerve around it at full speed
    2. Wait until you see it clearly
    3. Slow down right away while you identify it
    4. Switch to low beams and keep going

  20. Before a winter drive, what should you check to learn road conditions?

    1. The Highway Hotline
    2. The fuel gauge only
    3. Your tire tread only
    4. A weather app's temperature

  21. On a gravel road you approach a hill crest where you can't see oncoming traffic. Where should you drive?

    1. To the right of centre
    2. On the far left
    3. On the shoulder
    4. In the centre path

  22. By law, headlights must be on from half an hour after sunset until when?

    1. Exactly at sunrise
    2. One hour before sunrise
    3. Half an hour before sunrise
    4. Midnight

  23. Why turn your headlights on at night even if your car has daytime running lights?

    1. DRLs drain the battery
    2. Tail lamps may be off with DRLs
    3. DRLs are illegal at night
    4. DRLs dim the dash lights

  24. How far before an oncoming vehicle must you dim your high beams?

    1. At least 50 m
    2. At least 100 m
    3. At least 200 m
    4. At least 500 m

  25. What does it mean to overdrive your headlights?

    1. Your high beams blind other drivers
    2. Your headlights are aimed too high
    3. You drive with lights off at dusk
    4. You can't stop within what your lights show

Headlights, night, winter and rural roads: 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 ↗

Headlights

  • Lights on at all times recommended; vehicles with lights always on are much less likely to crash.
  • Law: headlights from half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise, and any time visibility is poor.
  • Some vehicles' daytime running lights do not turn on tail lamps; turn headlights on at night.
  • Dim high beams at least 200 m (650 ft.) before an oncoming vehicle and keep them dim until it passes.
  • At 100 km/h a realistic time to dim is 9 to 12 seconds before meeting; some drivers signal you up to 20 seconds away.
  • Spotlamps off at least 500 m (1,640 ft.) before an oncoming vehicle.
  • No need to dim on a divided highway where roadways are 22 m (70 ft.) or more apart.
  • Following or being passed: low beams within 100 m (330 ft.), spotlamps/auxiliary lights off within 500 m.
  • Glare recovery: up to five seconds; can grow with age to up to 25 seconds.

Night driving and low visibility

  • Watch for motorcycles. You should see about 12 seconds ahead at night, so use high beams most of the time and look beyond your lights.
  • Reduce glare from behind with a day-night mirror on "night"; dim dash lights.

Choosing the right speed

  • Without a full 12 seconds of view you are overdriving your headlights.
  • If you can see the rear lights of the vehicle ahead, no large object is between you.
  • Slow immediately when you detect something on the road at night; brake while identifying it.

Curves and corners

  • Slow down before the curve; brake in a straight line; gentle accelerator to mid-point, then unwind and accelerate out.

Driving in mountains

  • See at least 12 seconds ahead; downhill, shift to a lower gear and brake lightly and continuously.

Grid, municipal and resource access roads

  • Shorter sight distances, no shoulders, sharper curves, many T-intersections. No posted limit = 80 km/h.
  • Gravel can be deep and loose or thin and slippery when wet; dust clouds reduce visibility.
  • Stay right of centre on hills and blind curves. Grip firmly in deep gravel; don't over-steer. Stay back from dust. Headlights on. Meeting trucks or farm equipment: slow, pull right, maybe stop.

Winter driving

  • At least five months of winter conditions; most collisions November to March. Main cause: failing to adjust to conditions.
  • Check the Highway Hotline (hotline.gov.sk.ca/map); stay home if travel is not recommended.
  • Pre-winter check; carry snow tires, block heater, brush/scraper, gas line antifreeze, shovel, traction mats, booster cables. Out of town add warm clothes, candles and matches, tow chain, food, sleeping bags, cellphone and charger.
  • Clear all windows, heater intake and lights; headlights on at all times.
  • No cruise control on icy or slippery roads (black ice = thin transparent ice).
  • Ice is far more slippery at -2 C than at -22 C.
  • Gentle acceleration, gentle braking, small smooth steering. On ice near freezing, threshold braking beats locking the wheels.
  • Longer than three seconds following distance when slippery. First snowfalls: 6-second following distance.
  • Getting moving: accelerate gently; try second gear; rock the vehicle in deep snow (wheels must stop before changing gear).
  • Stopping on slippery roads: shift to neutral (declutch), brake early and gently (threshold).
  • Temptations to resist: hard acceleration passing, cruise control on slippery roads, letting the tank drop below half.
  • Whiteout: sky, horizon and ground blend into one.
  • Stranded: stay with the vehicle; keep calm; open downwind windows slightly; run the engine for heat but don't run out of gas or drain the battery; keep the exhaust pipe clear; put on emergency clothing early; candles for warmth; don't overexert.

Study the Headlights, night, winter and rural roads rules as flashcards →

Other topics

Full practice tests