Alberta Driving Knowledge: Road Rules and Safe Driving
The foundation
Alberta's general driving rules apply to every licence class, but a Class 2 candidate is held to a higher standard because the vehicle is larger, heavier, and slower to stop. You must know the rules of the road cold: right-of-way at uncontrolled intersections (yield to the vehicle on your right), four-way stops (first to stop, first to go), and left turns across oncoming traffic. Know school-zone and playground-zone speed limits, passing rules, and how to share the road with cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcycles.
Following distance and space
Trap questions love following distance. The basic rule for cars is the two-second rule; large vehicles need far more. A practical rule of thumb for a loaded Class 2 vehicle is at least four seconds behind the vehicle ahead in good conditions, and double or more in rain, snow, ice, or darkness. Count "one-thousand-and-one, one-thousand-and-two..." from when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object until your front bumper reaches it.
The traps
- Speed limits are maximums, not targets. In poor conditions you must slow to a safe speed even below the posted limit.
- Right-of-way is yielded, never taken. A driver who has the right-of-way must still avoid a collision if possible.
- Emergency vehicles. Pull to the right and stop for approaching emergency vehicles with lights and sirens; do not block intersections.
- Distracted driving. Hand-held device use is prohibited; know that even hands-free attention lapses are a safety failure.
Worked example
You are driving a loaded truck at 80 km/h on a dry highway. The vehicle ahead passes a signpost. You count "one-thousand-and-one, one-thousand-and-two, one-thousand-and-three, one-thousand-and-four" and your bumper reaches the post. You are at roughly four seconds, which is the minimum safe gap for a heavy vehicle in good conditions. If the road turns icy, that gap is no longer adequate and you must slow down and increase it.