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: Safety Services Manitoba (SSM), working alongside Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI), has been offering defensive driving instruction for nearly 50 years. Its Defensive Driving Course, available in Winnipeg, is an interactive classroom session covering collision prevention, driver attitude, impairment, intersections, passing and aggressive driving. The companion Responsible Driver Workshop goes a step further with eight hours of instruction that examine speeding, distracted driving, seatbelt use and the effects of alcohol and other drugs. The workshop is available in Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson.
- Six hours (Defensive Driving), eight hours (Responsible Driver)
- Cost: $185 (Defensive Driving), $255 (Responsible Driver)
- Visit: safetyservicesmanitoba.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: SSM’s training lineup includes Gearing Up Motorcycle for beginners and Next Gear Motorcycle, which is designed for riders who already have some experience and want to shed bad habits before hitting the road again. For those who need to re-sit their final test, SSM offers a Refresher and Re-test package — three to four hours of practical coaching before a second attempt at the skills evaluation. Note that MPI and SSM offer rebates of up to $250 for taking the Gearing Up course.
- 16–20 hours (Gearing Up), six–eight hours (Next Gear)
- Cost: $575 (Gearing Up), $415 (Next Gear)
- Visit: safetyservicesmanitoba.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: Adult cycling classes are available through the Manitoba Cycling Association (MCA), which offers Cycling Canada’s CAN-BIKE program. There are adult courses for a wide range of ability levels — including those who can ride but don’t feel comfortable on the road, those who want to learn more advanced techniques, and older adult riders. That cater to riding on country roads as well as on urban streets. Women-only classes are also available. To find a cycling refresher class in your area, contact your community cycling association or local bike shop for information about classes and instructors.
- 45-minute Zoom call plus one day in person
- Cost: Free for members
- Visit: mbcycling.ca
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 cross-Canada roadshow stops at Manitoba EV Fest in Winnipeg on Sept. 19 and at Electric Mobility Canada’s EVVE 2026 on Oct. 21–22, providing the perfect opportunity for EV ambassadors to answer any questions you may have — and for you to get behind the wheel of an EV for a test drive.
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
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