By Charlie Cosburn

The process of getting your driver’s license is many things; exciting, nerve wracking and most importantly, a big part of growing up for many people. While it’s totally normal to be excited, it’s also quite easy to overlook certain things that could alter the result of getting your license or even buying your first car. In Ontario, there are 3 levels of car licenses; the G1, the G2, and the G. There are many more licenses for different vehicles, such as the M license for motorcycles, but today we’ll be focusing on the most common license, which is the G class.

It all starts with your G1; so how do you get it? Well it’s actually quite simple. First you need to be at least 16 years old, after which you’re free to do the test whenever you want. Simply go to any Service Ontario and complete the test. As of the time of writing this article, the G1 test consists of 40 questions split into two parts; 20 questions on the rules of the road and 20 questions on the road signs. In order to pass the test, you must get at least 16 questions correct in each part, equating to a total of 32 questions answered correctly. You also must pay a price of $158.25, which is the fee of both your G1 test and your G2 test. You’re able to take the written test as many times as you want, but you must pay an additional $15.75 for every extra attempt you take.

Now, you can take your G1 test anytime you want (provided you are at least 16 years old) but it is recommended that you prepare and study for the test ahead of time. From my personal experience as well as the experience of others, the best preparation methods include the Official Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Driver’s Handbook as well as online practice tests offered on many different websites. While neither of these practice methods are “necessary”, they are both heavily recommended and will help immensely, especially with the more specific rules of the road questions (e.g how much room should you leave when passing a cyclist?).

Now that you have your G1 license, you can drive, provided there’s a person with at least 4 years of driving experience with you. The next step is getting your G2, which is a little tougher and requires more preparation, but is still fairly easy. The first thing you need to do is wait, which varies depending on if you decide to take driving lessons or not. If you decide not to take them, you’ll need to wait a full year of having your G1 license before you can take your G2 test. On the other hand, if you do decide to take driving lessons, the time gets shortened to just 8 months. In order to book your test, you’ll need your Ontario drivers license number and a preferred date, time, and location. You can book the test online at https://drivetest.ca/book-a-r by phone at 647-776-0331 or in person at any Drive Test center.

Before you start preparing for the G2 test, it’s important to understand what your G2 license allows you to do. In the province of Ontario, your G2 allows you to drive on all roads, including highways, without a fully licensed driver with you. That being said, there are still a couple restrictions you must follow. First, you must always be sure to never drive with anything in your system that could impair your driving. This means you must have a blood alcohol level of zero and absolutely no cannabis in your system. You can also only carry one passenger between 12 and 5 am, unless you’ve had your G2 license for at least 6 months or are older than 19. Other than that, you’re good to go. It’s also extremely important to drive safely and responsibly, especially since you’re new to the road and are encountering many new experiences you won’t experience on your test or during your driving lessons.

Speaking of driving lessons, a question a lot of people ask themselves is whether they should take driving lessons or not. While most people do take them, myself included, they aren’t necessary to pass your G2 test. Before we begin, it’s important to know what you’re paying for when you sign up for driving lessons. It once again varies depending on which school and which package you choose but most include 10 hours of in-car lessons as well as 30 hours of online lessons. Price also varies depending on what school or package you choose but is usually between $600 and $800. There are many benefits of taking driving lessons. Firstly, they teach you how to drive and help you properly prepare for the test. They also allow you to do your test after just 8 months of having your G1 license and you even get discounts on your vehicle insurance. They also usually book your test for you, which can save a lot of time and trouble. From my personal experience, I would say it’s worth the cost. It also felt nice to be in safe hands, especially in the first lesson or two. In terms of cons, there aren’t really very many. Of course the price is a bit steep but in the end it’s usually worth it. Another thing could be the time it takes out of your schedule. This only applies to those who are really busy and it’s not even that big of an issue, as you usually choose when you do your lessons.

The G2 test consists of a driving test on public roads, testing everything there is to know about your vehicle and the road. It all starts with your examiner, who will be judging your ability to drive and is with you in the car during your test. Before you get going, the examiner will ask you to use the different functions of your car, such as your turn signals, your horn, and your lights. They do this to make sure you know the basic functions of the car and to make sure your car is road legal. The focus then gets shifted to testing your ability to drive. While the whole process and circuit varies from location to location, the test consists of a three point turn, each type of parking (parallel, reverse, forward and parking on hills), passing vehicles, your awareness on the road and overall just driving properly. From my experience, checking your blind spot is something they look for a lot, so do it as often as you can. As I mentioned earlier, all of this can vary depending on where you take the test and how forgiving your instructor is but this is a rough outline of what you can expect.

The final step is getting your G license, so what does the process look like? To begin, what is your G license? Your G license is your full license, meaning you can drive on all roads at any time of the day. In order to get it, you once again need to complete a road test. In order to prepare for it, you must practice everything. Most people don’t take driving lessons for their G license, as the only new skill being tested is driving on highways. That being said, it’s still very important to practice on your own time. You should feel confident with your ability to drive, especially on the highways, before you take the G road test. Once you’ve had your G2 for a full year, you can take your G test with a cost of around $90. Booking your G test is the same process as your booking G2 test and can be done at any Drive test centers. The test should take around 30 minutes to complete and consists of the same stuff as the G2 test as well as driving on highways. If you’re successful, you’ll receive your G license and are now a fully licensed driver.

That’s a rough outline of what getting your license should look like, and while it may seem like a lot, it’s over the span of 3 years or more. No matter which step you’re on, it’s always important to exercise caution and drive safely, especially since you don’t have as much experience as other drivers on the road. Good luck!