Your Responsibilities

Top Five Tips For Young Drivers

Driving brings with it some responsibilities. Focus on these five to help make roads safer for everyone.

1. Put safety first

Safety is every driver’s main responsibility—the safety of everyone in and around your vehicle: passengers, other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. Safe driving behaviour will also help keep your insurance costs down. Obey the rules of the road and take driver training if possible.

You can make a difference even if you’re not in the driver’s seat. As a passenger:

  • Do not distract the driver. Instead, offer to be a designated phone user to reduce any distractions to the driver.
  • Be vigilant and let the driver know about anything that may compromise safety.
  • Never travel with drivers who are impaired or behaving dangerously.
Person with hands on a car steering wheel
Double vision distortion of speedometer

2. Plan ahead

Cannabis and alcohol may be legal in Canada but driving while under the influence of these and other substances is not. The consequences of impaired driving are harsh and can be deadly.

CAA has information and resources on cannabis to help you and your loved ones stay safe on the road.

Learn about impaired driving

3. Avoid distractions

Music, apps, maps, messaging platforms and social media are all frequently used while driving and pose the same threat as calling or texting. While most Canadians recognize the risks of distracted driving, 1 in 6 young Canadians has admitted to driving distracted. Being at the wheel of a vehicle is complex multi-tasking – it challenges you to watch, listen, steer, brake, anticipate and calculate in real time.

Focus your attention on driving. If you need to take your eyes off the road, pull over safely and stop. #UnplugAndDrive

Learn about distracted driving
Distracted driving using cellphone while driving
Toy model car on columns of stacked coins

4. Understand the cost of driving

Your expenses will include more than just the vehicle purchase cost. There are licence and registration fees, taxes and insurance. Use our Driving Costs Calculator to figure out your estimated total driving expenses.

Calculate the cost of operating a vehicle.

Learn about car costs

5. Make a deal

If you are sharing a family vehicle, consider making a deal with your parents. Talk about ensuring you can have a safe ride home, without judgement, if you are in a situation where you do not feel safe driving the car home. In return, you get access to the car on certain nights.

Keeping the cost of insurance down

All drivers in Canada must have basic automobile insurance. Until you establish a record as a safe driver, it will cost more to insure you behind the wheel. You can lower your insurance costs by:

  • Sharing vehicles – your insurance rate will be lower if you are classified as an occasional driver on your family vehicle.
  • Training with a professional driving instructor – a certificate from a recognized driving school may help reduce your insurance costs.
Child learning driving basics with parent

CAA is a trusted insurance source

Depending on where you live, you may be able to obtain vehicle insurance through CAA. Your local Club has all the details.

My CAA Club