Table of Contents Contents
Getting your G2 License
The first step to getting your G2 license (driving commuter vehicles and small trucks) is to take your G1 knowledge test. Along with your knowledge test, you must also be at least 16 years of age and have passed an eye exam. Once you have completed these things, you are then able to do your first road test after 8-12 months. This G2 road test will allow you to get your G2 license. The test itself only takes around 20 minutes. You are eligible to take it after 8 months if you have completed a ministry-approved driving training course. Otherwise, you can take it after having your learners (G1) for 12 months.
Before you take your G1 driving test, to save money and avoid taking the test again, you want to make sure that you have a good understanding of your vehicle and the rules of the road. You want to be able to:
- Start, stop and pass
- Handle different driving situations appropriately
- Parallel park
- Do 3-point turns
- Back up and reverse stall park
- Demonstrate safe driving practices
- Have proper steering techniques
- Be able to drive in controlled and uncontrolled intersections
- Are able to follow the posted speed limit
Once you are confident in these driving skills, then you are ready to book your test. Demonstrating these skills and driving safely will allow you to get your Ontario G2 license and begin driving unsupervised.
How a G2 License Works
Now that you have passed the G2 test, what happens next? Well, first you will receive a temporary license. This is to be kept with you until your actual license comes in the mail from the province.
This piece of paper verifies that you have passed your G2 exam and are now able to drive unsupervised. There are no longer any time restrictions on when you are allowed to drive, and you are able to take passengers with you. That being said, there are some conditions that you have to follow. These are for your own safety as well as the safety of those around you.
Restrictions
The first restriction is that you must have a zero blood alcohol level. There is a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol for new drivers with a G2 license. This is because driving unsupervised is something new, and every precaution is needed when learning how to drive.
Passenger Restrictions
The second is that you need to make sure there are no more people in the vehicle than there are working seatbelts. There is only a passenger restriction for young drivers if you are under 19 years of age driving between midnight and 5 am. This specifies you are allowed to have only one passenger under the age of 20 in the vehicle during these hours. It also specifies that this restriction is only effective for the first 6 months of having your G2 license.
Once the 6 months have passed, then we are able to have up to three passengers that are under the age of 20 in the vehicle. This rule does not apply if there is someone with a full G license in the passenger seat who has had it for at least 4 years. There is also an exception to this rule if the passengers are your immediate family members such as mom, dad or siblings.
Breaking the Restrictions / Traffic Laws
With a G2 license, the restrictions are a little more strict than if you have a full license since you are still considered to be a new driver. That being said, the type of offence will dictate how much your license will be affected.
Every traffic law you break earns you demerit points on your license. On top of that, you will also receive a traffic ticket. With the demerit points, you are limited to how many points you can get before you get a suspension on your license. With a G2 license, you are only allowed to get 9 demerit points; after that, you will receive a license suspension of 60 days. A G license is more lenient. You are able to get 15 demerit points before you receive a 30 license suspension.
As a G2 driver, you can also face higher penalties for breaking any of the conditions on your license. This is also true if you receive a violation that holds at least 4 demerit points. The penalties for these are also suspension. The first time, you will likely receive a 30-day suspension. The second time is a 90-day suspension, and the third time, you will lose your G2 license and have to start from the beginning again. This includes getting new driving hours and paying all related fines before you can begin the graduated licensing process over again.ted fines before you can begin starting the graduated licensing process over again.
Where you can Drive with a G2 License
As we covered above, there are some restrictions when it comes to driving with your G2 license, but none of these include where you are allowed to drive. You can drive on any highway or road in Ontario as long as you follow the few restrictions that are attached to your license. This includes 400 series highways like the 400 and 401.
Getting Insurance with a G2
Being a G2 driver, you are allowed to get your own car insurance plan on a vehicle. Because you are a new driver, though, your insurance premiums are likely to be higher since the risk of the company having to pay is higher. There are things you can do to lower your premiums, though. One of these is to have completed a driver training course. This looks good to an auto insurance company and may encourage them to give you slightly lower premiums.
The more you drive, the lower your premiums will get as long as you don’t have to make any claims or get any tickets or traffic violations. This could increase your insurance premiums. However, once you obtain your G license, you are eligible for more insurance discounts.
Another option is to check with your insurance provider what discounts you can get as a G2 driver. Whether you drive a newer vehicle or an older one will make a difference in insurance costs as well. As a parent of a G2 driver, you can add them to your insurance policy as well if they are driving your vehicle instead of getting their own.
If you are a G2 driver and no longer live at home, you may have someone else you want to drive your vehicle or who is going to drive it. If this is the case, you need to add them to your insurance as well. Your policy will need to reflect all of the drivers of the vehicle in order to ensure you have the proper coverage in case you ever need to use your insurance.
Purchasing a Vehicle with a G2 License
Now that you have a G2 license, you are considered to be an independent driver. This means you are able to purchase your own vehicle if you choose. You can either purchase a used vehicle or a new one. Before purchasing, though, it is a good idea to check what your insurance payments would be. We already know, as a G2 new driver, that your insurance premiums are going to be higher than those of fully licensed G drivers. It would be a good idea to double-check that the insurance premiums are affordable before you make such an important purchase.
How to get your G License
Once you have your G2 license, the next step is to get your full license, also known as your G license. You are eligible to take this test after you have had your G2 license for at least 12 months.
The test for your G license is more advanced than the test for your G2 license. It includes things like:
- Intersections
- Driving in business areas
- Turns and curves
- Lane changes
- Driving on major roads and highways
- Signalling and lane changes
These are things that are already covered in the G2 test for the time being or are not included in the G driving test. These include:
- Parallel parking
- Roadside stops
- 3 point turns
- Driving in residential areas
While you are eligible to take the driving test to get your G license after 1 year, you can keep your G2 license for up to 5 years after getting your G1. If it is about to expire and you haven't taken the G test yet, you can take your road test again and keep your G2 for another 5 years. To take any of your driving exams, you will have to book an appointment. In some cases, you can also pay a fee and fill out a form to get an extension on your G2 license.
That being said, the G exam isn’t that much different from the G1 driving exam. Even if you fail it, you are able to retest. A lot of the time, it’s just nerves that will have you result in you failing the exam; it has nothing to do with your skills as a driver. The great thing about getting your full G license is that you no longer have to worry about taking any more driving tests. You are now considered to be a fully licensed driver and are allowed to drive any vehicle or combination of towed vehicles that weigh up to 11,000 kilograms. This is as long as the towed vehicle doesn’t weigh more than 4,600 kilograms.
Taking your test to get your full G license eliminates a lot of the restrictions that come with your G2 license. While you can still drive across the country with your G2 and even cross the border, you have more freedom with a G license. Also, if you do not get your full license within 5 years of getting your G1, you risk having to start the process over again if you are unable to renew.
How The G Program Compares To Other Programs in Canada
No matter what province you live in in Canada, there are different rules you have to follow in order to get your full driver's license. While each one is a little different, they each follow a similar guideline. They also require ID and documents, including marriage certificates, in order to issue your license.
You start by passing your written and vision tests, and then you gain driving experience, usually with an accompanying driver. During this time, you follow your province-deemed driving restrictions that are applicable to all young and new drivers. However, this time is meant to gain highway driving experience, use of road signs, and even freeway driving experience in order to prepare for your road test.
While you don’t have to go to driving schools to prepare for your road test (G road test in Ontario), approved BDE courses in Ontario and other driving schools throughout Canada allow you to reduce the time of your license restrictions and take your road tests faster. These driving instructors sit in the front passenger seat and instruct you while you gain driving experience. Once you pass this test, in most provinces, you still have additional restrictions on your driver's license. These restrictions vary but include a limit on other passengers besides family and no tolerance for drinking alcohol. Not following restrictions can result in escalating penalties.
That said, once you complete all the tests and pay the applicable fees, you can have as many passengers (including young passengers) as your vehicle will safely allow. As long as you drive safely and keep a clean driving record, you can also reduce your annual costs with an insurance broker, even if you’re a novice driver or an occaisional driver.
