Want to explore Canada via Road trip ?? Here are some tips for driving across the Border into Canada !!

You should plan your routes before entering Canadian border! There is pretty much to explore in Canada. So, here are some tips for your trouble free road trip!!- Brought to you by PartsAvatar Auto Body Parts.

If you are driving from America to Canada there are quite a few things that you should keep into your consideration especially if you are on a road trip. Here we have outlined some tips for you to have a trouble free journey.

Drive on the right

Canadians drive on the right like most other countries. The best way to deal with having to drive on the wrong side of the road is to take your time and start out slowly.

Seat Belts Law

Safety standards are high on Canadian roads. Seat belts are compulsory. Ensure that the driver and others in the car are wearing seat belts otherwise a fine up to $2500 will be applied.

Necessary documents

Everyone wants their border crossing to go smoothly. The best way to make your trip memorable is to be prepared. You will need to show your driving license and a proof of insurance.

All visitors arriving in Canada need a passport or passport equivalent with the exception of children. You can also carry green card as the proof of insurance.

If you are crossing border from US, be ready to address the border officer at border service booth. He will be going through your passport and other documents.

Speed limit

Canadians practise defensive driving, but there is a rare chance of collisions from speeding. Wide open roads mean some drivers are impatient and will break speed limits.

If you are used to driving in the US, speed limits in Canada can seem pretty liberal. Overall, speed limits allow for faster driving in Canada than in the US.

Make sure you know the difference between kilometres and miles before you get behind the wheel and also know speed limits of every province and territory as they may vary.

Major roads in urban areas- 37 to 44 mph

2 lane highways outside cities and towns- 50 mph

Multi lane highway driving- 62 mph

Minimum driving Age

If you are driving across Canada, it good idea to make sure you know legal driving ages for provinces you may pass through.

In Alberta, learner’s permit can be obtained at the age of 14 but can only be used while driving with a non probationary licensed driver over 18. In other provinces, the learner’s permit (G1) is available at the age of 16.

Car rental companies will insist you are a minimum of 21 years old with a minimum of 1 year experience.

Written permission of guardian is mandatory

If you think you can easily cross the border without telling your parents, you will definitely end up in huge trouble. Adults who are not parents or guardians should have written permission from the parents or guardians to supervise the children, including the name and contact information of the guardian.

Even if you are not divorced from the child’s other parent, bring the other parent’s written permission to take the child over the border. Have the necessary ID for your children ready to present to a customs officer. Legal custody documents should be carried if divorced parents share custody of their child.

Check/ Empty your trunk

Sometimes supervisors at the border order their officers to pop every trunk, just for a look see. Unnecessary items in your trunk will just add more time to their questioning.

Be prepared for basic questions like “how long you will be staying?”, “why are you travelling to Canada?” and “where will you stay?” Answer with confidence.

On the spot fines and child safety rules

Traffic violations are generally dealt with tickets but in some provinces there are on the spot fines for small infringements but they aren’t common.

It is strictly illegal to use safety camera warning devices in Canada and you can face fine of about $650 for violating rules. Make sure there isn’t any!

Children less than forty pounds are supposed to travel in an approved child safety seat. Babies and toddlers must be in a rear facing seat fixed in the back.

When you return

When you return to US, you have to declare all the goods you acquired outside US such as gifts, prizes or awards. Keep the receipts of duty free shopping if the officer asks for them.

It is mandatory for the travellers to consume what they buy at duty free while they are in Canada. Also make sure to declare any repair or alterations you made to your vehicle while you were in Canada like repair or replacement of auto parts.

Roll down the front and back car windows

When you reach the border, roll down your front and back windows so that border officer can interact with everyone sitting inside.

Watch out for wild animals

There are various signs deployed on the roads to alert the drivers to certain wildlife type that are seen nearby. A real hazard can happen if you hit a deer or moose particularly when they show up out of the blue.

There is a high chance of getting killed after colliding with large animals. So, better slow down around those areas.

Watch out for icy roads

Winter driving in Canada can be a scary experience. Canadian winters are quite harsh and roads are often blocked with snow. So watch out for icy roads, rock avalanches, snow or other extreme conditions.

Some roads are very isolated. It would be worse if you get stuck for hours without any aid. Always have the number of local emergency services available.

Other road rules in Canada

1. Canadian drink driving laws are quite strict. If you already have a drunk driving conviction on your license within last five years, your admission in Canada will be prohibited. In other provinces you can be charged with $1000 fine money along with one year suspension of your license.

2. Always give way to pedestrians on pedestrians crossing.

3. It may be helpful to familiarise yourself with some basic French travel phrases before you go. You will come across many places with road signs in French.

4. At crossroads, only the direction of turn that is legal will be signposted, all other turns are illegal.

5. If the police stop you for any offence, remain seated in your car and switch off the engine.

6. Bribing a police officer is a serious offence, don’t even try to!

7. You cannot use a mobile phone without a hands free kit in Canada.

So, now that you know what you need to prepare, you can enjoy trouble free trip.

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Do you know even a small distraction can affect your ability to drive?? Make the road safer with tips presented by PartsAvatar Canada !!

When you aren’t focused on the road, things can happen fast. Rather paying penalties for using smart phone or even worst – getting your licence suspended for a year, isn’t it better to beware! - Brought to you by PartsAvatar Auto Body Parts.

Ok, we have a job! A jam packed schedule! Have to watch over toddler sitting back!! But that 1 minute of your distraction can create havoc on road! On the worst note, everyone’s life on road is at risk!

In our fast paced world, it’s become commonplace to see people texting, doing makeup while driving. Make sure to pay full attention on the road for everyone’s sake! But what exactly is distracted driving?

Distracted Driving

Since 2008, in every province and territory of Canada except Nunavut, there are strict laws for distracted driving. Anything can cause distraction to a driver. Any task that steals your attention away from the road is distraction.

Whether you are multitasking while driving, keeping an eye on your kid sitting at the back, texting your friend, eating or even picking up something that has fallen down- these scenarios steal your attention away from the road and can cause a fatal accident.

Following are the driving distractions:

1. Playing with GPS.

2. Cell phones, texting or answering calls

3. Eating

4. Kids

5. Driving under influence

6. Applying makeup

You should know following facts if you don’t keep your eyes on the road:

1. You are 23 times more likely to be involved in a collision if you text while driving and 4 times more likely if you talk.

2. You may have to pay heavy fine as penalty for using cell phone or any hand held device in Canadian provinces (mostly).

3. According to a study, nearly 80% of collisions and 65% of near collisions involved some form of driver inattention up to three seconds prior to the event.

Penalties for distracted driving

Each state has its own set of laws for distracted driving. But aside from simple collisions, distracted driving can result in horrific accident.

According to a study, drivers fail to process 50% of visual information in their driving environment when they are using electronic devices. Under motor vehicle act, part 3.1 – a driver found using a hand held device while driving may receive a $368 traffic violation ticket that also carries 4 penalty points. Fines may range from $100 to $280 depending on the number of offenses committed.

The violation ticket may vary from province to province. You may have to pay fine up to $1000 depending on your offense. Many provinces like British Columbia and Ontario ban the use of hand held device and electronic entertainment devices while driving.

Alberta expands its legislation beyond hand held electronic devices to include the other forms of driver distraction, including eating, reading and using car mirror personal grooming. In BC and Saskatchewan, drivers in the graduated licensing program are prohibited from using hand held and hands free devices.

In Ontario, if you have A,B,C,D,E,F or G license you will face bigger penalties like a fine of $490 if settled out of court or a fine of $1000 if you fight a ticket and lose it. Three demerit points are just icing on the cake.

You might receive six demerit points/fine of $2000/ Jail for 6 months/ licence suspension for 2 years if found guilty of carelessness caused by distraction (using hand free or hand held device).

Experts compare using cell phone to drinking and driving offense due to high level of distraction and the amount of time the driver’s eyes are off the road.

Using influencing substances like alcohol, drugs or even prescribed medicine is also a form of distracted driving. These substances make it difficult to focus on the road and large fines are imposed as it is a serious offense. In worst case, driver’s license can be suspended.

Tips to reduce distracted driving!

1. The very first tip is to turn off your mobile device. Using a hands free device doesn’t reduce the risk. Reduce the temptation by turning off the device so that you won’t be disturbed by constant ringing and beeps. Put it in the glove compartment or in a bag on back seat.

2. Record an outgoing message notifying callers that you are driving. There are various apps that send automatic reply to people calling or texting you.

3. flipping through radio stations or songs also distract. Pre set your favourite radio station or make a playlist of your favourite tunes. Music shouldn’t be too loud as it not only drowns out warning noises but is also a nuisance for fellow motorists.

4. You shouldn’t doze off while driving, it is hell dangerous. Make sure you have enough energy to focus on road. Try driving during daylight and make sure you are well rested. If you feel drowsy, hand over the control of your car to someone else. Avoid driving under influence of alcohol or drug.

5. Stop doing crazy things like applying makeup, reading newspaper, eating and even shaving while driving! Make sure you do these activities before you depart.

6. Pre-plan the route on your GPS so that it won’t distract your attention while you drive the car. If you use GPS, make sure it is placed in the area where it won’t force you to take your eyes off the road.

7. driving in tend to increase risks and results in road rage. It not only gives stress to driver but is also stressful for the fellow drivers. Give enough time to arrive at your destination.

8. Speeding down the highway or navigating through heavy traffic is not best time to learn where the car control like windshield wipers or defrost button is. Take your time when you are free, and understand the car controls freely.

9. Explain to kids that they should try to save requests for when the final destination is reached. Leave pets at home if possible.

10. In emergency call 911, but be sure to pull off the road to safe area.

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If you are going to drive at night, here are some vital tips that can make your drive a safer one !! Get the best deal on Automotive lightings at PartsAvatar.

Driving in the dark can be extra challenging! So stay safe with our tips!!-Brought to you by PartsAvatar Automotive Lightings!!

There’s no doubt that driving in the dark is more dangerous. With weather conditions and unpredictable traffic, anything can happen if we aren’t alert. That is why drivers are less confident while driving in dark.

Keep some tips in mind when it comes to safety and night driving.

Rest Well

Keep in mind- a well rested body is an alert body. Driving after long hours of work isn’t going to be safe ahead! Make sure to complete your sleep before beginning the journey and rest well. A lot of accidents happen during night time where the driver sleeps while driving.

Keep your mind and body fresh and then head off to road for your and other’s safety!!

Use headlights

You should turn your car’s headlights on about an hour before the dusk. This not only makes it easier for you to see as the sun sets but also makes your presence more visible to other motorist on the road.

Make sure to aim them correctly as sometimes car’s headlights are uneven. Check owner’s manual for further instructions and point them perfectly.

Clean the headlights if they are cloudy, yellowish. If they are cracked and not working properly then its better to replace them.

Increase the distance

Keeping distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you is common sense. It is wise to maintain larger distance because you can make accurate judgement in poor visibility. There are several other reasons that justify this.

One reason is you can make the other driver nervous and any bad reaction from his side can cause a severe road accident. See, road is not a place to play pranks. Also the closer you get, the closer your headlights are, the brighter they can seem and more distracting they can be. It can limit their visibility and end up causing severe problems.

If you are driving under normal conditions, better use cruise control to stay under speed limit.

Stay Alert

A second of distraction can cause severe accident. Keep your eyes moving. If you drive at night daily, it’s vital to have your eyesight checked regularly as it will show any underlying problem that is affecting your night vision.

The best way to avoid an accident is to be watching for lights and keep checking those mirrors. It’s important to keep an eye out for other car’s headlights, animals, pedestrians and other objects.

On dark country roads, the animals are everywhere. But you can often see the reflections of your headlights in an animal’s eyes long before you can see the animal itself. Pairs of tiny spots are clear warning that an animal is on the road.

Slow down as quickly as you can and avoid collision with the animals.

Practice defensive driving tips.

Stay Awake

Leave early as possible. Starting off on a road trip with hours of driving instead of sleep ahead can be tricky to get your body to agree to.

It’s good to get on the road after five o clock as rush hour traffic clears up. Stay awake while driving and keep your mind fresh. Don’t divert your attention!

Avoid unknown roads

If you can stick to highways with clear dividers and lane markings, there is nothing like it. If you do have to take a single lane or unknown roads, do so very cautiously. Try to avoid such roads.

For example, if you have an express way that takes you to your destination in 200 miles, it is better than a single lane/ unknown road that promise the same destination in 170 miles.

Dim your dash lights

Dashboard dimmer switches are there for some reason. If you’re driving around with dash light on the max, you could be compromising your forward vision.

Turn down its brightness a bit and don’t leave the map lights on. Most luxury cars have focused reading lights that pinpoint objects without causing glare.

Clean the Windshield

Keep cotton, microfiber towel or a newspaper to clean the windshield. Make sure car wind shield is clean, and don’t touch it with your hands as the oil from your skin will smear and light will glare when it will shine.

Dirty windows will increase glare from other vehicles and are more prone to steaming up. Dirty mirrors reflect the light coming from cars behind you in a wider, diffused shape that can produce glare in your eyes, so clean them up.

Don’t forget to switch your inside rear view mirror to the night or auto dim setting, which darkens the mirror to prevent glare.

Take small breaks

When you spot a stretch of road that has a few shops or drive through you may take small breaks so that you feel relaxed. It’s always advisable to take regular breaks when driving long distances but this is even more vital when you are driving overnight.

Carry plenty of drinking water along with a few non oily snacks.

Stop yourself for a water or coffee break to keep yourself alert.

Pull over when you’re drowsy

Whenever you feel the first tinge of drowsiness just make sure to pull your car aside and stop driving. Lock the car doors and lower the windows partially for some air circulation.

An hour’s nap will go a long way in keeping you fresh and alert for 3-4 hours or more. Don’t ignore it. Most severe accidents happen when the driver falls asleep in the mid of driving the car. It’s better to reach your destination late than never!

Having a hearty five course meal at night isn’t advisable even though you aren’t driving. Eat light and go easy on carbohydrates. Oily and fried food should be avoided so that you don’t doze off at the wheel.

Learn what kind of night driver you are and act accordingly. It’s best to avoid driving if you have poor night visibility for the sake of safety.

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