Road Safety

Motorcyclists:

• Obey the rules of the road.
• Share the road with other road users. 
• Wear a helmet that meets recognized safety standards. The fine for not wearing a proper helmet is $105. 
• Keep a safe distance from other vehicles.
• Avoid unexpected and unpredictable moves.
• Practice in an empty parking lot to refine slow speed maneuvers, quick braking, and swerves.
• Watch out for damaged road surfaces. Avoid these areas until they are repaired to prevent damage to your motorcycle or to yourself.
• Pay attention to what other drivers are doing and make yourself as visible as possible by wearing bright colors. 
• Have your motorcycle inspected regularly. Check cables, fluid levels, brakes and tire treads and air pressure.

Cyclists:

• Obey the rules of the road.
• Share the road with others.
• Use hand signals to indicate what you're doing and where you're going.
• Avoid unpredictable movements.
• Equip your bike with a bell and lights.
• Watch out for road debris, sand, and gravel when making turns.
• Every cyclist under 18 years old must wear an approved bicycle helmet by provincial law. Not wearing a proper bike helmet could result in a $75 fine.
• Riders 10 years old or older must ride on the road, not on sidewalks.
  • Ontario guidelines allow children under 10 to use sidewalks until they build the skills to ride bikes safely on roads.
  • Sidewalk riders must yield to pedestrians, go slow, and share the path and dismount and walk their bike to cross at pedestrian crosswalks and crossovers.
• It is illegal to ride on controlled access highways, such as Ontario's 400-series highways.

• Obey the rules of the road.
• E-bikes are permitted a maximum speed of 32 km/h.
• E-bikes must be designed to travel on no more than three wheels.
• You must be 16 years of age or older to drive an e-bike.
• All operators must wear an approved bicycle or motorcycle helmet.
• An e-bike must be maintained in good working order while being operated.
• An e-bike no longer meets the legal definition of an e-bike if its pedals have been removed or 
  the vehicle exceeds the 32 km/h speed limitation on public roadways. Other considerations apply.

• Obey pedestrian safety rules.
• Always walk or wheelchair on the available sidewalks.
• Cross safely at an intersection or crosswalk.
• Teach, practice, and remind children to look both ways before crossing a street.
• If walking a dog, keep pets on a leash when on the sidewalk.
• Watch for young cyclists, strollers, wagons and more! Ontario guidelines allow children under 10 to use sidewalks when riding bikes until they build the skills to ride safely on roads.
• Sidewalk riders must yield to pedestrians, go slow, and share the path.
• If walking or jogging at night, wear reflective gear to be more visible to drivers.