G Licence Restrictions in Ontario
Looking for G Licence restrictions in Ontario?
Ontario has strict driving laws to safeguard drivers, passengers, and other road users such as cyclists and pedestrians. One of these requirements is that any driver must earn a G Driving Licence before obtaining any other car driving license. The G Licence permits a driver to operate a compact truck, car, or van on their own. To achieve this, the driver must successfully sail through the progressive Graduation Driving Licence (GDL) program, which starts with the G1 Licence, proceeds to the G2 Licence and culminates at the Full G Licence.
To obtain a full G Licence in Ontario, every driver must successfully pass through the previous G1 and G2 stages by adhering to each phase’s specific limits and criteria, including fulfilling certain knowledge assessments and a series of road tests. However, you can only obtain a full G Licence at least 12 months after earning your G2 Licence.
Getting a full G Licence removes most driving restrictions on G1 and G2 Licences. For instance, it allows a driver to drive a class G vehicle on all types of roads at any time without the supervision of a driving instructor or a more experienced driver.
Benefits of the G Licence in Ontario
Novice and young drivers pose the highest risk on roads, typically due to their inexperience. Fortunately, the Ontario Graduated Driving Licencing (GDL) system helps to remedy this by providing controlled environments, conditions, and timelines for inexperienced drivers to operate automobiles. Thus, the GDL system presents many perks as it allows young and inexperienced drivers to progressively hone their skills and experience behind the wheel with minimal risk exposure.
The GDL enables budding drivers to smoothly ease into various driving and traffic situations in Ontario as provided by the driver’s G licence level. As the drivers’ experience and knowledge grow, they can increase their driving frequency and the number of passengers they carry. Eventually, the driver earns a full Graduated (G) driving licence, allowing them to drive without another driver or instructor, drive on busy roads such as highways and expressways, and work their vehicle through more challenging road and traffic conditions such as night driving.
Here’s a breakdown of the advantages of the G licence in Ontario:
- It contributes to safer roads as G-licensed drivers possess the mandatory driving skills, expertise, and experience to operate vehicles in various road and surrounding conditions safely
- Through its progressive program, the G license allows new, young, and inexperienced drivers sufficient time to accumulate the requisite driving knowledge and experience for safe and effective driving.
- Drivers with a full G licence are equipped with the necessary situational awareness to effectively and safely handle various driving conditions.
- It ensures the driver has the confidence to drive through many challenging road and traffic situations, such as high-traffic and fast-paced freeways.
G Licence Restrictions in Ontario
Earning a full G Licence in Ontario presents several perks, such as driving on any road, highway, or freeway at any time of day. Moreover, the licence excludes you from the limitations imposed on the G1 and G2 licences. Nevertheless, there are a few restrictions to the G Licence in Ontario, specifically on the type of vehicle you can drive and permissible Blood Alcohol Content and THC levels. These limitations include:
- Vehicle-class Limitations
With a G Licence, you can only drive a G-class vehicle in Ontario, such as a car, van, or compact truck weighing up to 11,000 kilograms. You are also allowed to drive a combination of vehicle and trailer, such as an RV or other towed vehicle, as long as the towed vehicle doesn’t exceed 4,600 kg and the combined weight of the car and trailer isn’t more than 11,000 kg. Driving vehicles exceeding these provisions is considered a class G offence.
- Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) and THC Restrictions
Drivers aged 21 years or younger with a G Licence must have zero BAC and THC levels to drive in Ontario. On the other hand, G-licenced drivers aged above 21 should not have a BAC exceeding 0.05 percent (50mg). Drivers with BAC levels between 0.05 and 0.08 percent (50-80mg) are in the warn range and can receive administrative penalties, including immediate roadside prohibition or suspension.
However, driving with a BAC beyond 0.08 percent is a criminal violation whose consequences might include the following:
- Car impound
- Driving License Suspension
- Conviction
- Hefty fines
- Criminal record
- Serving time in prison
- Installation of vehicle ignition interlock devices
- Significant rise in car insurance premiums
Thus, it’s best not to drive while intoxicated by alcohol, cannabis or under the influence of drugs such as prescription or over-the-counter medications.
- Passenger Number Restrictions
A G Licence holder can carry a maximum of 11 passengers.
- Seat Belt Restrictions
A functional seat belt must be for every passenger transported by a G Licence driver in Ontario.
Although obtaining a full G Licence in Ontario can be a challenge to some drivers, it’s typically an easy undertaking for most drivers who have successfully gone through the G1 and G2 Graduation Driving Licence (GDL) stages. In most instances, you can sail through the full G Licence within 30 minutes as it only adds highway driving assessment to the previous G2 Licence test. With a full G Licence, you’ll be a fully-fledged driver permitted to operate any class G vehicle, carry 11 passengers, and enjoy other privileges such as solo, night, and highway driving.
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