What Is an In-Car Driving Lesson in Ontario?

An in-car lesson starts with a brief discussion between you and your instructor about the goals for the session. The instructor typically outlines what skills you will work on, then you drive while the instructor observes, guides, and provides feedback in real time. Sessions almost always take place on public roads, not closed courses, so you are practising in actual traffic conditions from the start.

All MTO-approved driving school vehicles are required to have dual controls. This means the instructor has an additional brake pedal on their side of the vehicle. Some vehicles also have a second steering wheel or throttle control. Dual controls allow the instructor to intervene instantly if you are about to make a dangerous error, which is why it is safe to practice skills you have never done before during a professional lesson.

The standard in-car lesson is one hour. Some schools offer 1.5-hour or 2-hour sessions for students who want to cover more ground in a single booking. Longer sessions can be productive, but fatigue affects concentration after 90 minutes of active driving, so most instructors find 60 minutes to be the sweet spot for skill retention.

Your instructor will tailor each lesson to your skill level and the goals you are working toward. Common lesson formats include:

Come to each lesson with specific goals in mind. If you struggled with parallel parking in your last session, ask the instructor to focus there. Review any notes from the previous lesson beforehand. The students who progress fastest are the ones who also practice between lessons with a supervising driver, applying what the instructor covered before the next booking.