📚 Guide by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety — The Defensive Driving For Small Vehicles is an online workplace safety course delivered by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety, Calgary’s Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider. Self-paced, mobile-friendly, same-day certificate upon exam completion. Available across Canada.
🔗 Related Safety Mom courses & guides: H2S Alive Calgary · TDG Guide · Oil Sands Safety Certs · Instructor: Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC
COURSE OVERVIEW
A split-second decision can change your life, especially when you are behind the wheel of a fast-moving, heavy vehicle.
This online Defensive Driving for Small Vehicles (Global) course is designed to explore safe driving practices, what to do before you drive, while you drive and in the event of an accident. Ideal for those who drive cars or small vehicles.
After completing this course, an understanding should be gained of:
- How to prepare to drive safely
- Best practices for driving safely
- Safe driving choices in specific situations and conditions
- What to do in case of an accident
COURSE TOPICS
This online Defensive Driving for Small Vehicles (Global) course covers the following topics:
- Before you drive
- Speeding, following, and stopping
- Safe driving tips
- Accidents
- Summary
ONLINE COURSE DURATION
Approximately 45 minutes
PASS MARK
A mark of 80% must be achieved in order to pass this course. The course is able to be taken three times in efforts to achieve the pass mark.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Upon successful completion of this online course, a certificate of completion will be available for download and printing.
COURSE PREVIEW
Additional Safety Knowledge
Commercial Driver Requirements in Alberta
Alberta commercial drivers require a Class 1, 2, or 3 licence depending on the vehicle. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations and Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act govern hours-of-service, vehicle inspection, and cargo securement. Drivers of vehicles over 4,500 kg gross combined weight rating are subject to National Safety Code (NSC) standards including electronic logging device (ELD) requirements as of January 2023.
Hours of Service Rules
Federal HOS regulations for interprovincial trucking allow a maximum of:
- 13 hours driving in a 14-hour work shift
- 70 hours on-duty in any 7 consecutive days (or 120 hours in 14 days with a 24-hour reset)
- Mandatory 8 consecutive hours off-duty after each shift
- Minimum 10 hours off-duty in a 24-hour period, at least 8 of which must be consecutive
Alberta intraprovincial drivers follow provincial HOS rules with similar structure. Log falsification is a serious violation that can result in licence suspension and carrier CVOR downgrades.
Pre-Trip Inspection Requirements
Under Schedule 1 of the National Safety Code, drivers must perform and record a pre-trip inspection at the start of each shift. Critical inspection items include air brake system (drivers of air-brake vehicles need a Q endorsement), tires, wheels and fasteners, coupling devices, cargo securement, lights, and emergency equipment. Defects are classified as major (out-of-service) or minor (repair required within a set timeframe).
Defensive Driving For Small Vehicles — Defensive Driving Fundamentals
Safe commercial driving is built on the Smith System 5 keys: aim high in steering (look 15 seconds ahead), get the big picture (scan all mirrors every 5–8 seconds), keep your eyes moving, leave yourself an out (maintain 4–6 second following distance for heavy vehicles), and make sure they see you (signals, headlights, horn where appropriate). Oil & gas drivers add H2S awareness, rough-terrain skills, and load-specific hazard knowledge to the base defensive framework.
Content reviewed by Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC — lead safety instructor at Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety Calgary, an Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider.
