Driving in Toronto: the habits behind most close calls

Driving in Toronto is mostly heavy traffic, construction, and a few habits that cause most of the close calls. Here are the ones that come up again and again in dashcam video from the city and the GTA, and what to do about each.

Last-second lane changes on the 401

The 401's express and collector lanes split and rejoin, and drivers who miss a transfer often cut across several lanes at once. Leave space when you're next to a transfer, and watch for cars that suddenly slow down in the lane beside you.

Running the end of a yellow

At big downtown and suburban intersections, one or two cars often turn left after the light goes red. If you're first in line on a fresh green, look both ways before you go.

Rolling right turns and pedestrians

Right turns on red are legal in Ontario after a full stop, but many drivers roll through while looking left. Pedestrians and cyclists on the right get missed. If you're turning, stop and look right too.

Streetcars

When a TTC streetcar stops and opens its doors, you must stop at least 2 metres behind the rear doors and wait until people are off the road. This is one of the most common violations caught on video downtown.

Tailgating and brake checks

Stop-and-go traffic makes people impatient. If someone is tailgating, move over when it's safe instead of braking to make a point. A brake check that causes a crash can be charged as careless driving.

When it goes past bad habits

If a driver is racing, weaving or looks impaired, pull over and call 911. For anything that's already over, see how to report dangerous driving in Ontario.

Caught something on your dashcam? You can post it on BadDriver.ca so other drivers can look up the plate.