Online driver training
Winter Driving Fundamentals
Winter Driving Fundamentals is a short online course for anyone who drives for work in winter. In about 30 minutes it covers the conditions that make winter driving risky and how traction, tires, speed and vehicle condition affect control. You need 80% on the test to pass, and the course is $44.99.
Duration
30m
On completion
Certificate of completion
Coverage
All Provinces
Per seat
$44.99 CAD
You set up a training profile before you pay. It asks for more than a normal checkout does - your employer, your role, an emergency contact - because this is a training record, not a shopping cart. It is the file an auditor asks to see, and it is why you can pull your certificate up years from now instead of hunting for a PDF in your email. Give yourself five minutes and do it once.
Trusted by Canadian operators
About the course
What this course covers.
Winter driving is one of the most common hazards Canadian workers face, and many of the people exposed to it are not professional drivers. Sales staff, technicians, inspectors and office workers who drive between sites all need the basics. This course gives them those basics in about half an hour.
The first part looks at the conditions that change in winter: weather, the vehicle, the road, traffic, lighting and the driver. The second part explains traction and control, including how tires grip, the three elements of control, why speed matters so much on snow and ice, and how vehicle condition, technology and driving skill fit together.
This is the introductory course. For drivers with high winter exposure, such as fleet drivers, field crews and anyone driving rural highways daily, our longer Defensive Driving: Extreme Winter Driving with Skid Control/Recovery course adds skid control and recovery for understeer, oversteer and lockup skids. Many employers use Fundamentals for everyone who drives occasionally and the skid control course for their heavy drivers.
Read the full guide: Winter driving for work - traction, tires and employer duties in Alberta
Winter driving and snowplow safety: get your Alberta crew winter-ready
Pass mark 80%
Score the pass mark to earn the certificate.
Course outline
5 modules, start to finish
Each module ends with a short knowledge check before you move on.
Conditions that affect winter driving
The six conditions that change in winter: weather, vehicle, road, traffic, lighting and the driver, and how each one raises risk.
Understanding traction
What traction is, why snow and ice take it away, and how little of it a vehicle has in the worst conditions.
Tires
How tires create grip in the cold and why tire type, tread and pressure matter in winter.
The three elements of control and speed
Steering, braking and accelerating as the three ways a driver controls a vehicle, and why speed for the conditions decides how much control is left.
Vehicle condition, technology and driving skills
Keeping the vehicle winter-ready, what driver-assist technology can and cannot do on ice, and the habits that keep a driver in control.
Developed to meet Canadian and provincial standards
What every course includes
Printable and mailed certificates
Digital wallet and wall-sized certificates print the moment the course is passed.
Standards compliant
Built on Canadian federal and provincial legislation, safety standards, and industry best practice.
Self-paced
Unlimited access to the training material. Pause and resume the course any time.
Live student support
Real support is available seven days a week if a learner gets stuck.
Unlimited exam attempts
The exam can be retaken until the learner reaches a passing grade.
Record of training
Training records are stored securely for three years and pulled on demand from the account.
Who it is for
Built for the people running the work
- Employees who drive a company or personal vehicle for work in winter
- Office, sales and service staff who travel between sites or clients
- New or younger drivers who have little winter experience
- Workers who need a quick seasonal refresher before the snow
- Employers who want a documented winter driving record for every driver
What you walk away with
Able to do the job, not just describe it
- Name the six conditions that make winter driving more dangerous
- Explain how traction works and why it drops on snow and ice
- Describe why winter tires and good tread help in the cold
- Use the three elements of control smoothly in slippery conditions
- Choose a speed and following distance that match the conditions
- Check a vehicle is ready for winter before a trip
Pricing
One seat or the whole crew, priced fairly.
A single seat is $44.99 CAD. Buying one at a time, ask our safety experts for 10 percent off your first course. Training more than two or three people is cheaper through a free On-Track Safety corporate account, which also tracks every certificate and renewal date for you. Move the slider to see the difference.
- Free corporate account, no setup fee
- 20 percent off every course for the first three months
- Automatic certificate and expiry tracking for your whole team
Team pricing
What it costs to train your crew
Individual purchases
One seat at a time, list price
$224.95
Individually with a 10% code
Ask our safety experts for a code
$202.46
Through a free corporate account
20% off every course, first three months
$179.96
A corporate account saves you
$44.99
on 5 seats of Winter Driving Fundamentals
No setup fee. The account also tracks every certificate and expiry date for you.
Certificate and format
How the course runs
Your certificate
Pass the test at 80% or higher. If you don't pass the first time, you can repeat the test twice. On a pass you can download your certificate right away for your training records.
- Fully online and self-paced, about 30 minutes
- Two parts: winter conditions, then traction and control
- 80% to pass, with two repeats of the test if needed
- Downloadable certificate on completion
- Delivered through On-Track Safety's online training portal
Why it matters for compliance
In Alberta, a vehicle used for work away from the main work site is itself a work site. That means the employer's formal hazard assessment (FHA) under Part 2 of the OHS Code should cover driving, including winter conditions, and the employer must make sure workers who drive are trained, competent and fit to do so. An online course covers the knowledge part. Employers still decide whether a worker is competent to drive the vehicle and route they are assigned. Alberta does not require winter tires, but Alberta Transportation recommends four winter or all-weather tires for severe winter conditions. Other provinces have their own rules, and some do require winter tires.
Training outside Alberta?
Not sure which winter course to pick? Winter Driving Fundamentals is the 30-minute, $44.99 introduction for anyone who drives for work. Defensive Driving: Extreme Winter Driving with Skid Control/Recovery is the one-hour, $59.99 course for high-exposure drivers and adds skid control and recovery.
Common questions
Questions buyers ask
What is Winter Driving Fundamentals?
- Winter Driving Fundamentals is a 30-minute online course that teaches the basics of driving safely in winter. It covers the conditions that affect winter driving and how traction, tires, speed and vehicle condition affect control. It costs $44.99.
What's the difference between Winter Driving Fundamentals and the skid control course?
- Winter Driving Fundamentals is the shorter, lower-cost introduction (about 30 minutes, $44.99) for anyone who drives for work. Defensive Driving: Extreme Winter Driving with Skid Control/Recovery is about one hour, costs $59.99 and adds how to recover from understeer, oversteer and lockup skids. It suits drivers who spend a lot of winter time on the road.
Who should take Winter Driving Fundamentals?
- Winter Driving Fundamentals suits any worker who drives for work in winter but is not a full-time driver, such as sales, service, office and inspection staff. It also works as a quick fall refresher for experienced drivers.
How long is the Winter Driving Fundamentals course?
- The Winter Driving Fundamentals course takes about 30 minutes. It is self-paced and fully online, so a worker can finish it in one short sitting.
What is the pass mark for Winter Driving Fundamentals?
- You need 80% on the Winter Driving Fundamentals test. If you don't pass the first time, you can repeat the test twice.
Is winter driving training required in Alberta?
- Alberta law does not name a specific winter driving course. But when a worker drives for work, the vehicle is a work site, so the employer must assess driving hazards and make sure the worker is trained and competent. Winter driving training is a common way to meet that duty.
Does Winter Driving Fundamentals cover winter tires?
- Yes. Winter Driving Fundamentals explains how tires create traction in the cold and why tire type and condition matter. Our guide on winter driving for work also explains the mountain snowflake symbol and how it differs from M+S all-season tires.
Get your team trained, on the record.
Enrol one person now, or set up a free corporate account and train the whole crew at 20 percent off with every certificate tracked for you.