Your first driving lesson: what to expect

What you need first: a G1

You need a G1 licence before you can drive on the road, even with an instructor. You can get one at 16 or older by passing a vision test and a knowledge test on the rules of the road and road signs at a DriveTest centre. The paper temporary licence you get that day is valid for 90 days and lets you drive while your card arrives in the mail.

Start with the G1 test guide, then try the free G1 practice test.

The G1 rules on a lesson

• Who sits beside you: a fully licensed driver with at least four years of experience. A licensed driving instructor counts.
• The front seat: your instructor or accompanying driver is the only other person in the front.
• Alcohol: yours must be zero.
• Time of day: no driving between midnight and 5 a.m.
• Highways: G1 drivers can’t use 400-series highways with limits over 80 km/h or high-speed expressways such as the QEW, unless their accompanying driver is a licensed driving instructor.
• Your licence: carry it every time you drive.

What to bring and wear

• Your G1 licence, or the paper temporary licence if your card hasn’t arrived yet.
• Glasses or contacts, if your licence says you need corrective lenses to drive.
• Comfortable, flat shoes with thin soles and good grip. The Canada Safety Council suggests avoiding flip-flops, high heels, platform shoes and heavy boots. Driving barefoot isn’t illegal, but it isn’t recommended.
• A good night’s sleep. The Handbook says not to drive when you’re tired, sick or upset.
• Your phone, on silent and put away.

What usually happens on a first lesson

Every instructor works a little differently, but first lessons tend to follow the same shape. Ontario’s beginner driver education curriculum starts in the same place: the controls, setting up the seat and mirrors, and smooth starts, stops and turns.

1. A quick chat about what you’ve done before, what worries you, and what you’re working toward.
2. A quiet place to start, such as an empty parking lot or a calm residential street.
3. Getting set up: seat, head restraint, mirrors and seatbelt, then a tour of the controls: brakes, steering, gear selector, signals, lights, wipers, heater and defroster.
4. Moving off and stopping, over and over, until both feel smooth.
5. Steering and gentle turns, with your hands at 9 and 3 and your signals on time.
6. A recap of what went well and what comes next.

A good instructor won’t rush you onto a busy road. Most of a first lesson is about getting comfortable with the car. If you want to read ahead, the how to drive a car guide walks through each skill, step by step.

If you’re nervous

That’s normal, and it’s worth saying out loud at the start of the lesson. A calm instructor will slow things down, explain each step before you do it, and stop whenever you need a break. Nerves fade quickly once the car starts to feel familiar.

The nervous driver guide has more ideas that help.

How to check your instructor is licensed

In Ontario, anyone paid to teach driving in a car needs a driving instructor licence. To get one, an instructor needs a full licence, passes on the vision, knowledge and G road tests, a criminal record and judicial matters check, and an approved instructor course. The licence is renewed every three years.

• The instructor’s licence must be displayed in the car, where you can plainly see it from the driver’s seat.
• Instructors must have no alcohol in their blood while they teach.

BDE course or private lessons?

A government-approved beginner driver education (BDE) course runs at least 40 hours: 20 in a classroom or online, 10 in the car with a licensed instructor, and 10 flexible hours. It has to be finished within a year.

• The main benefit: you can take the G2 road test after 8 months on your G1, instead of 12.
• Insurance: some insurers offer a discount for it, but it isn’t guaranteed.
• Cost: schools set their own prices.

Private lessons don’t shorten the waiting time, but they’re built around you: your schedule, your pace and the skills you need. The licence cost guide covers what each step costs.

After your first lesson

• Practise between lessons with a qualified accompanying driver, starting with what you just learned.
• Write down one or two things to work on while they’re fresh.
• Book the next lesson so you keep your momentum.

How many lessons you’ll need depends on you. The how many lessons guide explains what makes the difference.