Ask Anne Marie: Can a G1 Driver Drive with Another Driver Who Is Not Insured?

We regularly feature questions that our resident insurance expert, Anne Marie Thomas, receives from readers. Usually, if one person is thinking it, others are as well, which is why we share her responses. This week’s question is about who a G1 licensed driver needs to have with them in the car to drive legally.

The question comes from Lisa, who asks:

“Can a person who holds their G1 licence drive on a road with an accompanied driver without insurance?”

There are a variety of rules that a G1 licensed driver must follow, but a restriction purely on whether the required accompanying driver has Ontario car insurance isn’t one of them, explains Anne Marie.

“If a vehicle is not insured, you cannot legally drive it; there is no jurisdiction in Canada where driving without auto insurance on public roads would be permitted.

“However, if you borrow someone’s vehicle to get experience behind the wheel, you must be accompanied by a fully licensed driver who has had their unrestricted G licence for at least four years. This person does not need to own the vehicle or even be listed on the vehicle’s policy; however, the vehicle’s owner – who is the auto insurance policyholder -- must give you and the fully licensed driver permission to use their vehicle.”

Extra Q&As about driving with a G1 licence

This isn’t the first question Anne Marie has received on the topic of driving with a G1 licence. The following are some of the other recent questions she has received that may be of interest to you:

• I Have a G1 Licence. Does the Person Who Owns the Car I Drive, Have to Be the Person in the Car with Me?
• If a G1 Driver Gets into an Accident While Driving Alone Will Insurance Cover the Damages?
• What Happens When a G2 Licensed Driver Lets a Person with a G1 Licence Drive Their Vehicle and They Get into an Accident?
• Can a G1 Licensed Person Drive Long Distances?