| Spreading from the Pacific coast of British | | | | the restrooms or get some refreshments. The |
| Columbia through the Rocky Mountain range, | | | | quality of these refreshments may leave room |
| flatlands of the prairies, vast forests and | | | | for improvement however, so plan ahead and |
| lakes of Ontario, Laurentian Mountains and | | | | bring some snacks if you can. |
| the Maritime provinces straight to the rocky | | | | |
| shorelines of the Atlantic - this place is | | | | On any major highway, 24-hour petrol stations |
| enormous. | | | | are easy to find and signs will tell you how |
| | | | many more miles/kms are left before the next |
| At a distance of well over 5,000 miles, | | | | fuel stop. Most of these will also have a |
| driving coast to coast is an undertaking for | | | | maintenance department should smoke |
| only the truly adventurous or the truly | | | | mysteriously begin to emerge from under the |
| foolhardy. Most visitors will be forced to | | | | bonnet. |
| choose a region, whether its starting in | | | | |
| Vancouver and winding through the mountains, | | | | During a long haul drive, practicing the |
| or taking the roads north from Toronto to see | | | | exercises shown on airline safety videos can |
| some of the best lakes and river systems on | | | | help, as you may find yourself in a seated |
| the continent. | | | | position for as long as an international |
| | | | flight. Mental distractions may come in handy |
| Fortunately, the roads in Canada are for the | | | | too. Be sure to bring a selection of your |
| most part excellent; paved, wide and never | | | | favourite music along with you, or perhaps |
| treacherous, except if you happen to be | | | | one of your more talkative friends. A book |
| caught in a winter snow storm. You will want | | | | may not be appropriate if you're the driver. |
| to have a comfortable car for any Canadian | | | | |
| adventure since distances can be quite long. | | | | Practically speaking, it is not difficult to |
| | | | obtain a rental car in Canada. All foreign |
| Fuel efficiency is a key factor in choosing | | | | licences are valid so don't worry about |
| the right automobile as well, with ever | | | | getting an international driving permit. For |
| increasing oil prices and the vast expanses | | | | Canadians, teens can get a licence and ask |
| of highway you will be driving. A Hummer for | | | | dad for his car keys at 16 years old, but |
| example, though sure to get you through any | | | | many rental companies feel that 25 years old |
| rugged terrain you may encounter, will | | | | is a more appropriate minimum age to give you |
| probably break the bank to quench its thirst | | | | theirs. |
| for gasoline. | | | | |
| | | | As you negotiate Canada's road systems, |
| Although the gaps between places can be | | | | you'll find speed limits do not differ |
| humbling, the motorways are some of the 30 | | | | greatly from province to province. Watch your |
| best in the world and aside from when driving | | | | speedometer. Keep it at about 30mph (50kmh) |
| through major urban centres, are relatively | | | | in residential zones, 55mph (80kmph) for your |
| uncongested. The anecdotes of driving for | | | | average two-lane highway and 68mph (100kmph) |
| hundreds of miles without seeing another car | | | | on the major highways. |
| can be all too real at times. | | | | |
| | | | Remember when driving in winter, any road - |
| The Trans-Canada Highway is essentially just | | | | big or small - can become very dangerous when |
| that, a highway that stretches across most of | | | | covered with snow or ice and speeds must be |
| the country. At over 5,000 miles/8,000kms, it | | | | adjusted accordingly, especially if the |
| is the longest highway in the world. The | | | | driver is unaccustomed to these conditions. |
| Yellowhead Highway, which begins in the | | | | |
| Prairies and ends on the Pacific coast, is | | | | In any season, by law all passengers in the |
| almost as long. | | | | vehicle must be wearing seatbelts and infants |
| | | | must be in a safety seat. The maximum blood |
| It is recommended that you limit your driving | | | | alcohol level is 0.8mg/ml and although your |
| to between 300 and 370 miles/500 to 600kms a | | | | trip to the Great White North should be a |
| day. This is important to note since many of | | | | beauty, the police don't mess about when it |
| Canada's routes essentially run straight for | | | | comes to drink driving and penalties are |
| interminable distances and it's easy to lose | | | | severe. |
| a sense of time and become overtired. One way | | | | |
| to ensure you arrive safely is to stop every | | | | In general, driving is much more hectic in |
| few hours to stretch your legs and take rest | | | | Europe and driving Canada's highways should |
| for 15 minutes or so. | | | | be a less stressful experience than across |
| | | | the pond, as long as you remember to keep to |
| Even on minor highways, there is usually no | | | | the right side of the road! |
| shortage of places to stop and refuel, use | | | | |