The 15 Trickiest G1 Test Questions (and Why People Get Them Wrong)

1. A flashing green light at an intersection where left and right turns are permitted means:

• You may go straight
• You may turn left
• You may turn right
• All of the above

The trap: a flashing green looks like a warning, so people pick a single cautious action. It's actually an advanced green: oncoming traffic is stopped at a red, so you may go straight, turn left, or turn right from the proper lane.

2. If the signal changes from green to yellow (amber) as you approach an intersection, you should:

• Continue through without slowing or stopping
• Speed up to get past before it turns red
• Stop. If a stop cannot be made safely, proceed with caution
• Sound your horn to warn others you won't stop

The trap: the instinct is to "beat the light." A yellow means stop if you safely can; only continue if stopping would be unsafe. Never speed up.

3. At an uncontrolled intersection (no signs or lights), two vehicles approach from opposite directions at the same time, one going straight, one turning left. Who has the right of way?

• The one turning left
• Both have the right of way
• Both should stop, then proceed
• The one going straight has the right of way

The trap: both feel like they have a claim. The vehicle going straight has the right of way. The left-turning driver must yield and wait for a safe gap.

4. At an intersection with stop signs in all directions (a four-way stop), the right-of-way goes to:

• The largest vehicle
• The driver who stops first. If two stop together, the one on the right goes first
• Whoever arrives fastest
• The vehicle turning left

The trap: people forget the tie-breaker. First to fully stop goes first. If two stop at the same moment, the vehicle on the right has the right of way.

5. A school bus with flashing red lights is stopped on the other side of a road divided by a median. You're approaching from the opposite direction. You must:

• Stop, as on any road
• Slow down and proceed with caution, only traffic behind the bus must stop when a median separates you
• Stop and wait for the lights to stop flashing
• Change lanes and pass quickly

The trap: "always stop for a school bus" is drilled into us, so "Stop" looks correct. But when a raised median divides the road, oncoming traffic does not stop, only traffic behind the bus does. (With no median, both directions must stop.)

6. If you fail to stop for a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing, the penalty for a first offence is:

• A fine of up to $500 and 4 demerit points
• A requirement to retake your road tests
• A one-year jail sentence
• A fine of $400 to $2,000 and 6 demerit points

The trap: "$500 and 4 points" sounds about right for a traffic offence. It's far steeper. A first offence is a fine of $400–$2,000 and 6 demerit points (and worse for repeat offences).

7. As a G1 driver, your blood-alcohol level while driving must be:

• Under 0.05
• Under 0.08
• Zero
• Under 0.02

The trap: 0.05 is the "warn range" for fully licensed drivers, so it looks right. For G1 and G2 drivers (and anyone 21 or under), the limit is zero: no alcohol at all.

8. If a G1 or G2 driver accumulates nine or more demerit points within two years, their licence is suspended for:

• 15 days
• 1 year
• 60 days
• 30 days

The trap: a fully licensed driver is suspended at 15 points for 30 days, so "30 days" looks familiar. But a novice (G1/G2) driver is suspended at just 9 points, for 60 days. Novice thresholds are stricter.

9. A novice driver convicted of distracted driving for a third offence faces:

• A fine, licence suspension and six demerit points
• A fine, licence cancellation and removal from the graduated licensing system
• A fine, licence suspension and three demerit points
• Licence cancellation, but no fine

The trap: you'd expect demerit points. Novice drivers get no demerit points for distracted driving, just escalating fines and suspensions, and a third offence cancels your licence and removes you from graduated licensing (you start over).

10. A G1 driver may drive on a 400-series highway only when:

• Traffic is light
• Accompanied by a licensed driving instructor
• It is daytime
• Never, under any condition

The trap: "Never" feels safe, and a regular accompanying driver isn't enough. A G1 driver can use a 400-series highway, but only when the accompanying driver is a licensed driving instructor.

11. To get your vehicle out of a skid, you should:

• Steer in the direction you want to go
• Steer straight ahead
• Apply the brakes hard
• Steer in the opposite direction of the skid

The trap: panic says brake hard or steer against the skid. Instead, ease off the gas, don't brake hard, and steer where you want to go, one smooth correction at a time.

12. When driving in heavy fog, you should use:

• Parking lights and high beams
• High-beam headlights
• Low-beam headlights
• Parking lights

The trap: more fog seems to call for more light, so people pick high beams. High beams reflect off the fog and make it harder to see. Use low beams (or fog lights).

13. At night you must dim your high beams whenever you are:

• Within 60 m of an oncoming vehicle, or 150 m of one you're following
• Within 400 m of another vehicle
• Within 150 m of another vehicle
• Within 150 m of an oncoming vehicle, or 60 m of a vehicle you're following

The trap: the wrong options simply swap the two distances. It's 150 m for oncoming traffic and 60 m for a vehicle you're following.

14. There's a solid yellow line next to a broken yellow line in the centre of the road, and the solid line is on your side. This means:

• Pass only when no traffic is in sight
• It is safe to pass
• It is unsafe to pass
• It is safe to pass in the daytime

The trap: the broken line right beside it makes it look passable. The line on your side is what counts: a solid line on your side means no passing.

15. You are approaching a railway crossing and the signals are warning that a train is coming. You must:

• Speed up and cross as quickly as possible
• Stop at least 2 m from the nearest rail
• Slow down and proceed with caution
• Stop at least 5 m from the nearest rail

The trap: "2 m" sounds close enough. The rule is to stop at least 5 m (15 ft) from the nearest rail, and wait until the lights stop flashing and any gates rise. Never race a train, it can't yield to you.