Rules of the Road & Right-of-Way
⏱ ~3-min readAceMark Guide
What this topic is really about
When a school bus shows flashing red lights and an extended stop arm on a road without a median, traffic in both directions must stop and stay stopped until the lights are turned off and the bus moves. This protects children getting on and off the bus. Failing to stop carries heavy fines and demerit points, and penalties increase for repeat offences.
When approaching a stopped emergency or tow vehicle with flashing lights on a multi-lane road, you must slow down and, if safe, move into a lane farther from the stopped vehicle.. The law requires you to reduce speed and, on a road with more than one lane in your direction, change to a lane away from the stopped vehicle when it is safe to do so.
See the mechanism
The 'Slow Down, Move Over' law is designed to protect emergency workers, tow operators, and others stopped at the roadside by reducing the risk of being struck by passing vehicles. A diagram for this topic isn't available yet — the worked example below walks the same reasoning step by step.
An exam-style question, fully explained
Ontario's 'Slow Down, Move Over' law applies when you approach a stopped emergency or tow vehicle with its lights flashing. On a multi-lane road, what must you do?
- Identify what the question tests: Ontario's 'Slow Down, Move Over' law applies when you approach a stopped emergency or tow vehicle with its lights flashing..
- The law requires you to reduce speed and, on a road with more than one lane in your direction, change to a lane away from the stopped vehicle when it is safe to do so.
- This protects emergency workers, tow operators, and others stopped at the roadside.
- The duty applies regardless of which lane the stopped vehicle occupies.
- Why it matters: The 'Slow Down, Move Over' law is designed to protect emergency workers, tow operators, and others stopped at the roadside by reducing the risk of being struck by passing vehicles. This law applies regardless of which lane the stopped vehicle occupies, emphasizing the importance of caution and safety when encountering such situations. By slowing down and changing lanes, you can significantly reduce the risk to these individuals.
Traps the examiner sets
- Some drivers may mistakenly believe that the 'Slow Down, Move Over' law only applies if the stopped vehicle is in their own lane, or that simply slowing down is sufficient without changing lanes when possible. However, the law clearly states that the duty to slow down and move over applies regardless of the lane the stopped vehicle is in, as long as it is safe to do so.
- Some drivers may think the first to accelerate has right-of-way, but it's actually the traffic already in the roundabout.
- Some drivers may think they have the right-of-way since they're not blocking the emergency vehicle's path, but this is incorrect - the law requires yielding to emergency vehicles with sirens and flashing lights.
- Many drivers believe a solid green light gives them priority over all other traffic, but this is not the case.
- Some people may think that if they are travelling in the opposite direction, they do not need to stop, but this is incorrect. All traffic in both directions must stop and stay stopped until the lights are turned off and the bus moves.
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