Motorists

Sharing the road is about being courteous to all road users, whether they are in cars or buses, on bicycles or on foot. Here are some tips and hints that will help you shift to a nicer gear and share the road.

Sharing the road with cyclists

A bicycle is a vehicle and must be treated the same as buses, large trucks, motorcycles and cars. This means that cyclists need to operate their bicycles like other vehicles on the road. Motorists must also respect a cyclist's right to ride on the street. Here are some tips to make everyone's road experience safer and more enjoyable.

• Bicycles are considered vehicles under the Highway Traffic Act, so treat them as you would any other vehicle on the road.
• People who ride bicycles are not obligated to use bike lanes or pathways, and are entitled to cycle on all roads in Ottawa except the Transitway, Highways 416, 417 and Regional Road 174 (to Orléans).
• Motorists are prohibited from driving or parking in all designated bicycle lanes.
• Cyclists generally ride in the right-most through lane, about one metre from the curb or parked cars.
• Cyclists are entitled to ride in the centre of a lane when they feel it is too narrow for a motor vehicle to pass them, or if they feel their safety is compromised.
• Cyclists can ride on either the paved road, paved shoulder or unpaved shoulder in rural areas.
• When passing a cyclist, the Highway Traffic Act requires that you leave a safe distance between your car and the bicycle. Extra passing distance should be given when slippery road conditions exist.
• Check for bikes in your side view mirror before opening your car doors.
• Always check your left and right blind spots before pulling out of parking spots or making right hand turns.
• Do not beep your horn at cyclists unless they are in imminent danger.
• Larger vehicles should be cautious of blasting a cyclist with winds when passing, especially on dusty roads.
• Signal when changing lanes.
• Drive cooperatively and maintain a safe speed.

E-bikes

Conventional style and scooter-style e-bikes are permitted on roads where conventional bicycles are currently allowed. In Ontario, an e-bike is defined as:

• Has a maximum weight of 120 kg (includes the weight of bike and battery)
• Has wheels with a diameter of at least 350 mm and width of at least 35 mm
• Meets the federal definition of a power-assisted bicycle:
• Meets the federal definition of a power-assisted bicycle:
  • Has steering handlebars and is equipped with pedals
  • Is designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground
  • Is capable of being propelled by muscular power
  • Has one or more electric motors that have, singly or in combination, the following characteristics:
  • It has a total continuous power output rating, measured at the shaft of each motor, of 500 W or less
    • If it is engaged by the use of muscular power, power assistance immediately ceases when the muscular power ceases
    • If it is engaged by the use of an accelerator controller, power assistance immediately ceases when the brakes are applied
    • It is incapable of providing further assistance when the bicycle attains a speed of 32 km/h on level ground
    • Bears a label that is permanently affixed by the manufacturer and appears in a conspicuous location stating, in both official languages, that the vehicle is a power-assisted bicycle as defined federally
    • Has one of the following safety features, an enabling mechanism to turn the electric motor on and off that is separate from the accelerator controller and fitted in such a manner that it is operable by the driver, or a mechanism that prevents the motor from being engaged before the bicycle attains 3 km/hr.

They must follow the same rules of the road as set out in the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) that currently apply to cyclists, with some exceptions.

Resources

Share the Road Poster [ PDF 349 KB ]

You see a cyclist, I see my daughter
You see a cyclist, I see my husband
You see a cyclist, I see my best friend
You see a cyclist, I see my grandpa

Sharing the road with pedestrians

• Stay out of crosswalks when waiting at intersections - stopping in crosswalks forces pedestrians into traffic.
• Yield to pedestrians at crossings.
• Look for pedestrians when turning, especially on one-way streets. While vehicles may travel in only one direction, pedestrians cross both ways.
• Watch for pedestrians on roads that don't have sidewalks. They should be walking on the shoulder facing oncoming traffic.
• Watch for pedestrians when pulling into and backing out of driveways, parking lots or any time you have to drive across a sidewalk.
• Be especially careful in school zones or areas where children might be walking.
• Always check your left and right blind spots before pulling out of parking spots.
• Drive cooperatively and maintain a safe speed.

The Highway Traffic Act (HTA) provides a municipality the authority to designate a part of a roadway under their jurisdiction as a Community Safety Zone (CSZ). As per the HTA, the official designation of a segment of roadway as a CSZ requires the enactment of a municipal by-law which includes the designated area and the erection of regulatory signs on the designated part of the roadway.

Once a CSZ is designated and established, the HTA provides that any person convicted of specific offences described in the HTA is liable to increased fines if it is committed while in a CSZ. For example, fines for speeding in a CSZ will be doubled for each kilometre-per-hour driven over the speed limit. Similarly, fines for careless driving for contraventions of other rules of the road, including traffic signal offences, will also be doubled.

Regulatory, bilingual CSZ signs are posted along the affected segments of a roadway to designate both the beginning and the end of a zone. The rules of the road do not change within the zone; only the penalties for violations are increased.

Samples of the CSZ Begins and Ends signs are shown below:

In Ottawa, Community Safety Zones are installed in proximity to school areas to enhance the safety of children walking or cycling, to and from school. Existing CSZ in Ottawa are identified in the City’s Community Safety Zone By-law.

What is a roundabout?

A modern roundabout is a circular intersection that does not have traffic signals. It is designed to maximize safety and minimize traffic delay.

Key features

• Central island: A raised area in the centre of a roundabout around which traffic circulates.
   
• Splitter island: A raised or painted area on an approach used to separate entering from exiting traffic, deflect and slow entering traffic, and provide storage space for pedestrians crossing the road in two stages.
   
• Circulatory roadway: A curved path used by vehicles to travel in a counter-clockwise direction around the central island.
   
• Truck apron: If required on smaller roundabouts to accommodate the wheel tracking of large vehicles, an apron is the mountable portion of the central island adjacent to the circulatory roadway.
   
• Yield line: Pavement marking used to mark the point of entry from an approach into the circulatory roadway; is generally marked along the inscribed circle. Entering vehicles must yield to any circulating traffic coming from the left before crossing this line into the circulatory roadway.
   
• Pedestrian crossings: Set back from the yield line and the splitter island to allow pedestrians, wheelchairs, strollers and bicycles to pass through.

Adapted from Federal Highway Administration, Roundabouts: An Informational Guide, Report No. FHWA -RD-00-067, June 2000

Traffic flow  

• Low speed on approach
• Approaching vehicles yield to traffic already in the roundabout
• Vehicles drive counter-clockwise and always to the right of the central island
• Low speed on exit
• Continuous movement of traffic

Signs 

Exit locations in the roundabout

Roundabout ahead. Reduce speed to 30 km/h

Yield to traffic in the circle

Indicates direction to follow in the roundabout

For more information on roundabouts, download Navigating Roundabouts [PDF – 432 KB] or e-mail 311@ottawa.ca.

Making a right turn

1. Unless posted otherwise, use the right lane if there are multiple approach lanes and turn on the right-turn signal.
2. Reduce your speed.
3. Keep to the right of the splitter island.
4. Allow cyclists to enter the roadway in front of you.
5. Watch for pedestrians in the crosswalk or waiting to cross. Be prepared to stop if a pedestrian is already in the crosswalk.
6. Move up to the yield line and wait for an acceptable gap in traffic. Do not enter next to someone already in the roundabout, as that vehicle may be exiting at the next exit. (If another vehicle is stopped at the yield line, do not stop on the crosswalk. Keep the crosswalk clear for pedestrians).
7. Enter the roundabout when there is an adequate gap in traffic within the circular roadway.
8. Within the roundabout, do not stop except to avoid a collision; you have the right-of-way over entering traffic. Keep to the right of the central island and travel in a counter-clockwise direction.
9. Do not overtake other vehicles and cyclists.
10. Keep to the outside of the circulatory roadway within the roundabout and continue to use your right-turn signal as you exit. If there are multiple exit lanes, use the right-hand lane.
11. Maintain your slow speed until you have passed the crosswalk. Watch for pedestrians in the crosswalk or waiting to cross and cyclists on the road as you exit.

Making a left or U-turn (exiting more than halfway around the roundabout)

• Follow the same steps from 1 to 9 (see above).
• When you have passed the last exit before the one you want, use your right-turn signal and continue to use your right-turn signal through your exit. Maintain a slow speed.
• Watch for leading or adjacent vehicles on the outside (for multi-lane roundabouts) that continue to move around the roundabout.

Moving straight through 

• Follow the same steps from 1 to 9 (see above).
• When you have passed the last exit before the one you want, use your right-turn signal and continue to use your right-turn signal through your exit. Maintain a slow speed.
• Watch out for leading or adjacent vehicles on the outside (for multi-lane roundabouts) that continue to circulate around the roundabout.  

Large vehicles

When approaching a roundabout, do not overtake large vehicles (trucks and buses) and give them plenty of room. They may have to swing wide on the approach or within the roundabout.

Emergency vehicles

If you are in a roundabout when an emergency vehicle is approaching, proceed to beyond the splitter island of your exit before pulling over to the right and stopping. Do not stop in the roundabout. If you haven't entered the roundabout, wait until the vehicle has passed before entering.

Driving a truck

You may need to use the full width of the road. Signal your intentions well in advance and make sure that other users are aware of you. Stay close to the left side of the entry. As you exit, again stay close to the left side of the exit. 

Tips for two-lane roundabouts

Turning left

• Be in the left lane and put on your left indicator as you enter the roundabout.
• Stay in the left lane as you enter the roundabout.
• Indicate a right turn as you approach your exit.
• Stay in the left lane as you exit the roundabout.

Moving straight ahead

• Be in either lane. You do not need to use an indicator to go straight ahead as you enter the roundabout.
• Stay in the same lane as you enter the roundabout.
• Indicate a right turn as you approach your exit.
• Stay in your lane as you exit the roundabout.

Turning right

• Be in the right lane and put on your right indicator as you enter the roundabout.
• Stay in the right lane as you enter the roundabout.
• Keep your right indicator on until you have exited the roundabout.
• Stay in the right lane as you exit the roundabout.

Adapted from Federal Highway Administration, Roundabouts: An Informational Guide, Report No. FHWA -RD-00-067, June 2000(link is external).

When driving in the winter, it is a good idea to prepare an emergency car kit and to follow some basic tips.

For additional information about winter driving safety please visit: Winter Driving - Ottawa Police Service

Emergency kit

• Cellphone
• Phone list of friends, family, doctors, neighbours and towing companies
• Flashlights and spare batteries
• Candles and all-weather matches
• Windshield scraper
• Blankets, booster cables and road flares
• Bag of sand
• Shovel
• High-energy bars
• Extra set of boots and socks
• First aid kit and fire extinguisher
• Lock de-icer (put one in the car and carry one with you)
• Neon-coloured towel or sheet that can be used to attract attention
• Current maps

Tips

Do

• Get weather and road condition reports.
• Wait for the weather to improve if conditions are expected to be extreme.
• Keep your vehicle in top mechanical condition.
• Keep the gas tank filled. This prevents moisture and adds weight to a vehicle, making it more stable in slippery conditions.
• Keep a bag of sand in the car, which adds weight and can be used for traction if your vehicle gets stuck.
• When making a long trip, tell someone your itinerary, keep to the planned route, estimate your arrival time and alert a responsible person to get help if you fail to arrive within an hour of this time.
• In distress, flash your headlights and brake lights.
• In a snowstorm, drive in a convoy if possible and keep a good distance between vehicles and keep the wheels of your vehicle in the path of the vehicle in front of you.
• If the car is idling, keep the window open slightly to prevent carbon monoxide build-up.
• Take a winter/defensive driving course.
• Take a CPR and first aid course.
• Know how to change a tire, and check and add oil and other fluids.
• Inspect tires and windshield wiper blades and have the exhaust system inspected once a year.
• Look out for deer, snow plows and salt/sand trucks.
• Clear all windows and exterior mirrors of snow and ice.

Don’t

• Idle a vehicle in a garage or near windows and doors, as carbon monoxide can seep into the house.
• Leave your vehicle if you are in an accident involving power lines. Do alert the local power company immediately.
• Leave the vehicle running if you smell gas after a collision. Do notify the nearest fire department.
• Drink and drive

When the snow falls, City crews immediately start clearing the way for you. With such a large network of roads, clearing snow from City streets requires collaboration and support from staff and residents. Residents can help make the process safer for everyone. One way to help is to please slow down and let snow plow operators lead the way when you see a blue light. Below are some additional tips that you can follow to make our roads safe and clear of snow. 

• Be patient and keep a safe distance behind working snow plows.  Snow plows often travel slowly because they are removing snow, and or spreading salt or sand on the roadway.
• Never pass a snow plow.  Snow plows are wider than the average vehicle with large blades that extend a metre or more ahead and into the neighbouring lane. Passing a snow plow on the right could result in severe collisions. 
• Don’t drive beside snow plows.  Snow plows sometimes shift sideways when they are plowing packed snow or drifts which could put you at risk for a collision. 
• Move aside. Snow plows often drive along the centre line of a roadway to remove snow.  If you are approaching a snow plow from the opposite direction, shift right, if conditions allow, to ensure there is enough space for the plow to pass you safely. 
• Beware of reduced visibility. Even at reduced plowing speeds, a light powdery snow forms a cloud in the wake of a snow plow that severely restricts a driver’s visibility.  This makes passing extremely dangerous. 
• Do not pass between snow plows in tandem.  On multi-lane roads snow plows often work in tandem - a row of plows working side-by side.  Passing or weaving between these plows is dangerous.  Please stay well back of echelon plows. 
• Watch for snow plows on sunny days.  Snow plows and removal equipment are out for several hours and even days after a storm clearing shoulders and cutting back snow banks.  Please be aware of plows even on clear days. 
• Teach children to play away from the road.  The driver of a snow plow may not be able to see a child playing in the snow. 
• Children should never build snow forts or tunnels along the roadway.  Snow forts and tunnels may collapse or be pushed down by snow plows or removal equipment. 
• Pedestrians should ensure they are visible.  Pedestrians should move back from the road if they see or hear a snow plow approaching.

A vehicle blind spot is the area around the vehicle that the driver cannot see, whether through the rear-view mirrors, backup camera or by doing a shoulder check. If you are in the blind spot, the driver simply cannot see you. The larger the vehicle, the larger the blind spots.

It’s essential that smaller, more vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooter riders and motorcyclists – know where blind spots are so they can stay out of them.

For example, when a heavy truck is stopped at an intersection, any smaller road user and even a small vehicle beside it are invisible to the driver. Stay in front or at the rear of the truck where you are visible. The truck driver should stay back to see these road users through the front windshield.

These graphics show the blind spots (in red) and the safe zones (in green) around a heavy vehicle.

Safer Roads Ottawa attends in-person events that include demonstrations of vehicle blind spots. To see a schedule of events, visit the Upcoming events webpage.

You can also visit the Stay safe, stay back website, from the Share the Road Cycling Coalition.