What is Graduated Driver Licensing?
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) is a program designed to improve road safety by exposing new drivers to incremental levels of risk as they gain more driving experience. New drivers, regardless of age, are provided with the support, skills and experience they need as they work towards becoming fully qualified drivers.
There are three stages to Saskatchewan's Graduated Driver Licensing program - Learner, Novice 1 and Novice 2. As drivers pass through these stages, they will see fewer restrictions at each stage until they graduate to an experienced Class 5 driver's licence. The Learner, Novice 1 or Novice 2 driving status is indicated on the driver's licence.
Steps in the Graduated Driver Licensing program
- Obtain a Learner's licence (Class 7).
- Practise driving for nine months with a supervising driver.
- Complete the required mandatory driver training education with a certified instructor.
- Pass a road test.
- Practise driving as a Class 5 Novice 1 driver for six months.
- Drive as a Class 5 Novice 2 driver for 12 months with no incidents (e.g., at-fault collision, traffic conviction* and suspension free). In the event of an incident, the Novice 2 driver will be required to restart the 12-month incident-free period again from the loss date/conviction date. Interruptions such as licence suspensions, refusal to issue or non-renewal will extend the 12 months for any period of time the driver did not hold a valid licence.
- Graduate to an experienced Class 5 driver's licence.
* Where found to be at fault for a collision or convicted of a traffic offence the 12-month period will restart from the loss date or conviction date respectively.
Requirements
| Class 7 Learner - 9 months | Class 5 Novice 1 - 6 months | Class 5 Novice 2 - 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 16 years of age (15 years of age in high school program) | 16 years of age | |
| Pass written test | Pass Class 5 road test | 12 months - excludes interruptions (non-renewal, refusal, suspension); and 12 months - at-fault collision, traffic conviction and suspension free |
| Nine months - excludes interruptions (non-renewal, refusal, suspension) | Six months - excludes interruptions (non-renewal, refusal, suspension) | |
| Mandatory education - high school training (30 hours in-class, six hours in-car) or training from an SGI-certified driver instructor (six hours in- class, six hours in-car) |
Restrictions
| Class 7 Learner - 9 months | Class 5 Novice 1 - 6 months | Class 5 Novice 2 - 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Must have a supervising driver in the front passenger seat at all hours Supervising driver must be an experienced, licensed driver) | One passenger only who is not immediate family member1; and other passengers must be immediate family members1 and are limited to number of seatbelts | |
| Pass written test | Pass Class 5 road test | |
| Between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m., passengers must be immediate family members1 | ||
| Mandatory education - high school training (30 hours in-class, six hours in-car) or commercial training (six hours in-class, six hours in-car) | ||
| Number of passengers limited to the number of seatbelts | ||
| Cannot use any type of cellphone (hand-held or hands-free) while driving | ||
| Cannot operate a right-hand drive vehicle | ||
| Cannot use any type of cellphone (hand-held or hands-free) while driving | ||
| Cannot be a supervising driver | ||
| Cannot obtain a commercial driver’s licence or school bus endorsement | ||
YOU HAVE GRADUATED TO AN EXPERIENCED LICENCE!
Note: All drivers in the Graduated Driver Licensing program are prohibited from:
- Operating both hand held and hands-free electronic communication equipment, such as cellphones, while driving.
- Operating right-hand drive vehicles.
Graduated Driver Licensing Improvement program
Drivers in any stage who are found at fault for a collision, or who receive convictions or suspensions, will be placed in the Graduated Driver Licensing Improvement program. Drivers will progress through the following steps:
- A warning letter will be sent to the driver if the first traffic incident (conviction) has an assigned rating of two points or fewer2.
- If the first traffic incident (conviction, at-fault collision, suspension) has an assigned rating of three to six points, the driver will be required to attend a Traffic Safety Education session.
Each incident thereafter will result in the driver being required to attend further education courses followed by the administrative suspensions:
- Defensive Driving course
- Driver Improvement training – educates drivers on the responsibilities and consequences associated with driving and encourages safe driving habits
- 30-day driver's licence suspension
- 90-day driver's licence suspension
- 180-day driver's licence suspension
- interview and further action
For a complete list of offence and driver points, visit sgi.sk.ca/new-driver-improvement or call 1-844-TLK-2SGI (1-844-855-2744).
Appeals
Drivers can appeal all sanctions, with the exception of the warning letter, Traffic Safety Education session, interview request and manual review to the Highway Traffic Board. The board is independent from SGI and has the authority to uphold, alter the decision, issue a restricted licence and reduce or increase the length of any driver's licence suspension.