Improving your skills can help keep you safe on the road. | VIDEO: FOTOSTOCK88/ENVATO
LIVE AND LEARN
Road Safety Refresher Courses
Whether you’re behind the wheel of a car, atop a motorcycle or pedalling through city streets, there’s a class for you to brush up on your skills.
By Kate Rae
Autumn is a great time of year to refresh your driving and riding skills. As the season shifts, so do road and weather conditions. Rain-slicked pavement, early-morning frost, reduced daylight, wildlife on the move — all demand sharper attention and updated driving techniques. Fine-tune your habits on the road and optimize them for safety and performance. Whether you’re a bicyclist, a motorcyclist or a motorist, you can take a refresher course to improve your road skills.
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Defensive Driving
Motorcycle Techniques
Safe Cycling
EV Insights
Defensive Driving
In-person: Defensive driving instruction is available across the province at many driving schools approved by the Ministry of Transportation. Young Drivers of Canada — with locations across Ontario — teaches drivers of all ages the importance of defensive driving. Globe Driving Academy (GDA) in Toronto offers the Defensive (Proactive) Driving Course for Vehicle Drivers. GDA also has special courses for seniors, helping them stay safe on the road while factoring in changes to vision, reflexes and mobility.
- Five hours online plus two hours of vehicle training with a certified GDA driving instructor
- Cost: $699
- Visit: globedriving.ca
Online: The Canada Safety Council’s Defensive Driving Fundamentals Online course, available at any time of the year, is designed for both beginners and experienced drivers looking for a refresher. It introduces the core techniques of driving defensively, covering hazard awareness, collision avoidance and proactive decision-making behind the wheel. A related program, the Green Defensive Driving Course, adds an eco-conscious dimension, helping drivers reduce both risk and environmental impact. Completing this course may also qualify you for a reduction in existing demerit points.
- 30 minutes (Defensive Driving Fundamentals), four hours (Green Defensive Driving)
- Cost: $30 (Defensive Driving Fundamentals), $95 (Green Defensive Driving)
- Visit: canadasafetycouncil.org
Motorcycle Techniques
In-person: Georgian College runs motorcycle courses across central Ontario, with locations in Barrie, Bracebridge, Collingwood, Midland, Orangeville, Orillia, Owen Sound, Aurora and Kitchener; programs are confirmed through Oct. 31, 2026. The Experienced Rider class takes place on a closed road course and offers advanced tips and techniques for licensed riders. There’s also a dedicated Motorcycle Refresher course for those whose confidence has decreased since their last ride, as well as a skills-building program of three-hour sessions on slow-speed manoeuvres plus high-speed braking and cornering.
- Five hours (Experienced Rider), eight hours (Motorcycle Refresher)
- Cost: $149 (Experienced Rider), $260 (Motorcycle Refresher)
- Visit: georgiancollege.ca
Online: The Canada Safety Council’s Motorcycle Safety Online program is an excellent option for licensed riders who want to reconnect with the theory behind motorcycle safety. It’s suited for those who need a skills refresher, including motorcyclists who may have obtained their licence years ago and have not ridden much since. The course covers motorcycle controls, lane positioning, situational riding skills, safe techniques and decision-making, using actual road video footage and interactive multimedia.
- Two hours
- Cost: $50
- Visit: canadasafetycouncil.org
Safe Cycling
In-person: Toronto Bicycling Network (TBN) offers its members free cycling classes, including CAN-BIKE courses. The membership fee is $50, but there are no additional fees for classes. Offering four levels of classes, the CAN-BIKE Level 3 class is aimed at adults who have basic riding fundamentals down, but would like to sharpen skills and learn traffic-handling techniques. While it is a continuation of learning from Level 2, that course is not a prerequisite and skill level can be self-assessed or assessed by an instructor. The Level 3 course is offered in two parts — a theory session delivered via Zoom in the evening, followed by an on-the-bike practical session the following day. It’s geared to those who want to learn traffic-handling skills and rules of the road, with the goal of helping riders feel comfortable cycling on residential and some urban streets. Completion of both the theory and practical portions is required for Level 3 certification and is a prerequisite for Level 4. To find a cycling refresher class in your area, contact your community cycling association or local bike shop for information about classes and instructors who can provide CAN-BIKE courses close to you.
Online: Cycling Canada’s CAN-BIKE program is a national cycling safety program. It offers a free online eLearning module to help riders improve and refresh their skills while learning about foundational cycling safety concepts. Interested cyclists can create a free account on Cycling Canada’s website to access the course.
- 45 minutes
- Cost: Free
- Visit: cyclingcanada.ca
Electric Vehicle (EV) Insights
In-person: EVs are just like internal combustion vehicles — well, almost — but there are a few techniques and insights that drivers can gain to improve both safety and battery range. For EV owners or prospective buyers looking to understand what an EV can actually do, Plug’n Drive’s non-profit EV education network is the most accessible entry point in the province. Their Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre in Toronto is open year-round, offering hands-on interactive displays, charging demonstrations and test drives of a rotating lineup of current EV models — all in a brand-neutral environment. In 2026, their Mobile EV Education Trailer (MEET) is travelling throughout Ontario, with a confirmed stop in Windsor from Oct. 15–Nov. 1.
- Self-guided day visit
- Cost: Free
- Visit: plugndrive.ca
Online: Electric Autonomy Canada’s EV Fleets Pro Academy is a free, comprehensive online resource originally designed for commercial fleet managers and corporate drivers, but it is equally useful and insightful for individual owners who want to understand the mechanics and habits behind efficient high-performance EV driving. The program includes an introduction, six lessons and a final quiz. It covers topics such as how instant torque affects a battery state of charge; how regenerative braking works and how to use it; how to manage cold-weather range and charging protocols; and how EV features can make a significant difference in winter performance.
- Self-paced short lessons
- Cost: Free
- Visit: evfleets.electricautonomy.ca
Get started
If you’re planning to be on the road, honing your cycling, motorcycling and driving skills can help keep you safer. Spending a few hours refreshing your techniques and updating your knowledge is one of the smartest investments you can make for yourself — as well as for everyone else sharing the road with you. CAA
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Defensive Driving
Motorcycle Techniques
Safe Cycling
EV Insights