At times, the lesson plans may suggest activities or applications that may be difficult to implement outdoors in a rural or isolated community. When this is the case, the following adaptations should be considered:

The information provided in this section reflects the standards, recommendations and information provided by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO). You may find additional information by consulting the MTO website www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/

For statistics on specific types of injuries and fatalities, you may consult the Ontario road safety annual report www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/orsar/orsar06/.

Impaired driving, which means driving while your ability is affected by alcohol or drugs, is a crime under the Criminal Code of Canada. If convicted, you can lose your licence, be fined, or spend time in jail. Your vehicle does not even have to be moving; you can be charged if you are impaired behind the wheel, even if you have not started to drive.

Drinking and driving is a deadly combination. One drink can reduce your ability to concentrate and react to things that happen suddenly while you are driving. The more alcohol in your blood, the more difficulty you have judging distances and reacting to sudden hazards on the road. To make matters worse, your vision may be blurred.

Any drug that changes your mood, or the way you see and feel, will affect the way you drive. This is not only true for illegal drugs, but also for some prescription and over-the-counter drugs that may impair your driving ability.

Ontario leads the way in combating drinking and driving by way of having some of the toughest laws and programs in North America.

Fully-licenced drivers will face immediate roadside licence suspension for:

As of May 1, 2009, Ontario has targeted measures to help take more drinking drivers off the roads. Drivers who register a blood alcohol concentration from 0.05 to 0.08from (known as the "warn range") lose their licence at roadside for 3, 7 or 30 days. Consequences also get tougher for repeat occurrences.

Novice drivers in the Graduated Licensing System (GLS) must maintain a zero BAC while driving or face an immediate suspension at roadside, a 30 day licence suspension and a fine upon conviction.

Consequences for impaired driving are serious: you can lose your licence; be fined; or, spend time in jail. Plus, you don't have to be over the Criminal Code blood alcohol limit of 0.08 to face serious consequences.

If you drive impaired, and your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is more than 0.08, or you fail or refuse to comply with alcohol or drug testing, you can be convicted under the Criminal Code. Individuals convicted for impaired driving offences face penalties under the Canada's Criminal Code and Ontario's Highway Traffic Act. Upon conviction, consequences include additional suspension period, alcohol education or treatment programs, Ignition Interlock Program and fines.

Driving-related Criminal Code convictions remain on a driver's record for at least 10 years.

In Ontario drivers who are caught driving while their licence is suspended for a Criminal Code driving conviction will have the vehicle they are driving impounded for a minimum of 45 days.

Regardless of whether the vehicle is rented, leased or loaned to a friend or family member, the vehicle will be impounded. The vehicle owner will be liable for all towing and impoundment costs.

Off-road vehicles (ORVs) are vehicles intended for recreational use, including two or three-wheeled motorized vehicles and specific vehicles with four or more wheels which are described in details in regulations. An ORV with the following traits is allowed access to provincial roads:

Certain off-road vehicles are allowed to operate on the shoulder of the road and can move to the travelled portion of the highway if the shoulder is impassable or unsafe. Generally, these vehicles are allowed access to highways 500-899, 7000 series highways and highways with low traffic volume (Summer Average Daily Traffic less than 5000).

The specific sections of highways are defined in the regulation schedules. Please refer to www.e-laws.gov.on.ca for details.

Municipalities have the authority to pass by-laws to define if, where and when off-road vehicle use is appropriate on municipal roads.

Off-road vehicles are not allowed on rights-of-way (for example, medians) between opposing lanes of traffic. They cannot operate in a construction zone, on a closed highway or within a provincial park, unless allowed by the park.

It is against the law to drive an off-road vehicle when impaired by alcohol or drugs.

If the ORV driver is impaired or has a blood alcohol concentration of more than 80 milligrams in 100 millilitres of blood (.08), or if the driver refuses to take a breathalyzer test, they can be charged under the Criminal Code of Canada.

If convicted, the driver will have a criminal record and may be required to pay a fine.

If a driver is convicted for the first time, he/she will receive a one-year driver's licence suspension. If convicted a second time, his/her driver's licence will be suspended for three years. For a third conviction, the driver would get a lifetime suspension from driving with the possibility of reinstatement after 10 years. Those convicted a fourth time will be suspended from driving for life with no possibility of reinstatement.

The convicted driver must also complete a remedial measures program assessment, education, treatment and follow-up before getting a driver's licence reinstated. Suspended drivers must pay $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty prior to having their licence reinstated and will be subject to the Ignition Interlock Program.

Snowmobiling is a popular winter activity in Ontario. Whether you are a beginner or have participated for a number of years, knowing how to operate the vehicle safely is an imperative. The following highlights what you need to know to own and drive a snowmobile safely.

It is against the law to drive a snowmobile while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

If a snowmobile driver has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 50 to 80 milligrams in 100 millilitres of blood (0.05 to 0.08), they could receive a roadside driver licence suspension of up to 30 days.

If a snowmobile driver is impaired or has a BAC of more than 0.08, or fails or refuses to comply with alcohol or drug testing, his/her driver licence will be suspended immediately for 90 days and they can be charged with impaired driving under the Criminal Code of Canada.

Individuals convicted of impaired driving on a snowmobile will lose their driving privileges (including their privilege to drive a car) for a minimum of one year.

For more information on drinking and driving consequences in Ontario, visit www.ontario.ca/drivesober.

Anyone 16 and over who has a valid Ontario driver's licence, motorized snow vehicle operator's licence (MSVOL) or a licence from another jurisdiction is allowed to drive a snowmobile across a road, on roadways where legally permitted and on trails. The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs issues the MSVOL. To get this licence, you must successfully pass a snowmobile driver training course. Contact your local snowmobile club to obtain more information about the MSVOL program or visit the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs website, www.ofsc.on.ca.

If you do not have a driver's licence and you are 12 years of age or older, a valid MSVOL, or a licence from another jurisdiction authorizing you to drive a snowmobile will allow you to drive on trails. Drivers must carry a driver's licence or MSVOL at all times their. Failing to produce either of these documents to a police officer or conservation officer when requested could result in a fine of up to $1,000.

The Motorized Snow Vehicles Act is the primary piece of legislation that governs snowmobiling in Ontario. To view the MSVA and other Ontario laws and regulations, visit www.e-laws.gov.on.ca.

Before driving a snowmobile, it must be registered with the Ministry of Transportation. If you are operating the snowmobile off your own property, the registration must be valid and you must have liability insurance. Carry both the registration permit and the insurance card with you when riding. Failing to produce either of these documents to a police officer or conservation officer when requested could result in a fine of up to $1,000.

Snowmobile drivers and passengers are required to wear a helmet that meets the standards approved for motorcycle helmets. Passengers on a cutter, sled or similar device towed by a snowmobile must also wear a helmet.

A rigid tow-bar must be used when towing a sled or similar device behind a snowmobile.

50 km/h - on snowmobile trails.
20 km/h - on roads where the speed limit is 50 Km/h or less.
50 km/h - on roads where the speed limit is over 50 Km/h.

Ontario's snowmobile trail system is maintained by many snowmobile clubs. Trails are patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police, municipal police, conservation officers and Snowmobile Trail Officer Patrol (STOP) officers. Some trails may require a trail permit. Check with the local snowmobile club to find out if you need one. For trails operated by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, you must have and display a valid trail permit. This includes trails on private property, municipal property and land owned by the government. For information about trails and trail permits, contact the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs. Drivers convicted of driving without a trail permit on an OFSC designated trail, failing to provide evidence of their trail permit, or not properly affixing the permit to their snowmobile face fines of up to $1,000.

Drive at a reduced speed and avoid travelling faster than the beam of your headlight can shine ahead. Riding at night reduces your visibility and your ability to spot hazards. It also reduces your ability to estimate distances. Wear clothing that has reflective markings so that you are visible.

Avoid travelling on frozen lakes, rivers and ponds as it presents the danger of breaking through the ice or driving into open water. Anytime you travel on ice, you put yourself and your passengers at risk. If travelling on ice cannot be avoided, always be sure to check the conditions as they can change in a matter of hours and wear a buoyant snowmobile suit. Carry ice picks with you and make sure they are accessible. Remember, your stopping distance is further on ice. Always travel on ice that is new, hard and clear. Never travel on ice that is slushy, weak, near moving water or has thawed and refrozen.

Wear layers so that you can add or remove clothing to adapt to changing conditions. A windproof outer layer (snowmobile suit), warm mitts or gloves, warm boots and insulated helmet are recommended. Thermal layers will allow your body to retain heat while releasing moisture. Remember, exposure to extreme cold can lead to frostbite and hypothermia. Body temperature can be affected by outside air temperature and wind speed.

There is a risk of frostbite to exposed skin with a wind chill at or below -25°C. Frostbite is possible in 10 minutes to warm skin with a wind chill at or below -35°C (shorter if skin is cool) and possible in less than 2 minutes with a wind chill at or below -60°C (shorter if skin is cool). Alcohol can also lower your body temperature, which in turn increases the risk of hypothermia.

When driving a vehicle, road safety is your first responsibility! Driving is a task that requires your full attention every time you get behind the wheel. As a driver, you must always remember to reduce driver distractions and focus on the driving task.

In April of 2009, the Ontario government passed a new law that prohibits the use of hand-held wireless communication devices or hand-held electronic entertainment devices while driving. The use of hands-free devices will still be permitted and you can still use hand-held devices in emergency situations, such as calls to 911. The law also prohibits viewing display screens unrelated to driving such as laptops and DVD players.⁵

Using a hand-held or hands-free cell phone while driving makes a collision four times more likely. In fact, using a cell phone affects what a driver sees, reduces reaction time and changes the way drivers react - especially in heavy traffic. Motor vehicle collisions are the greatest single cause of traumatic workplace deaths in Ontario.

Having a cellular phone in your vehicle can be an important safety aid for drivers and passengers, whether for personal safety or for reporting a crime or a collision. If you must use your cell phone in an emergency that threatens your safety, consider the following tips: