What the examiner is watching on the merge
Three things: that you use the acceleration lane to reach the speed of traffic, that you choose a real gap and signal your intention early, and that you make a visible shoulder check before moving over. Merging slowly, stopping at the end of the ramp, or forcing a car in the right lane to brake are the classic G-test fails. Highway traffic is not required to yield to you.
The merge, step by step
- On the ramp, look early. Glance at the highway traffic while you are still on the ramp to find your gap, and signal left.
- Accelerate firmly in the acceleration lane. Aim to be at or near the flow speed, 100 km/h on most 400-series highways, before the lane ends. Hesitant acceleration is the single most common error.
- Pick a gap and adjust to it, speeding up slightly to slot ahead of a car or easing off to drop behind one. Do not match the speed of the car beside you; that leaves you nowhere to go.
- Mirror, then a full shoulder check to the left, so the examiner sees your head turn.
- Move over smoothly in one motion, cancel the signal, and re-establish a two-second gap.
On the highway: lane discipline and gaps
- Stay in the right lane unless you are passing. Sitting in the left lane is marked.
- Two seconds minimum behind the vehicle ahead, more behind trucks and in rain.
- Lane changes get the full sequence every time: mirror, signal, shoulder check, move, cancel.
- Hold a steady speed. Drifting above the limit with the flow, or crawling under it out of nerves, are both faults.
- Scan far ahead for brake lights and merging traffic from the next on-ramp; ease left a lane if it is safe to give merging cars room.
Exiting cleanly
Signal early, move into the exit lane, and slow down in the deceleration lane, not on the highway. Check the ramp's posted speed; curved ramps are often 50 or 60 km/h and examiners watch for it. At the end of the ramp, the test returns to city rules: full stops, right of way, and the speed limit of the road you join.
The highway you will be tested on
Each DriveTest centre uses the nearest highway, and the ramps differ. Downsview and Metro East candidates face the 401 or the DVP's short ramps; Etobicoke uses the 427 and 401; Port Union the 401; Mississauga the 410; Oakville and Burlington the QEW and 403; Hamilton the Red Hill Valley Parkway and QEW. Practise your merge on those specific ramps, because a short ramp changes how early you must accelerate. Our centre guides cover each: Downsview, Metro East, Etobicoke, Port Union, Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington and Hamilton. G1 drivers can practise highways only with a licensed instructor in the car, which is what highway driving lessons are for.
MrDriver is a marketplace, not a driving school. Open the app, enter your pickup address, and compare the licensed instructors who cover your area: their hourly rate, vehicle, service area and lesson length are all shown before you commit to anything. Send a request and most instructors confirm within about 30 minutes. Once the lesson is confirmed, in-app chat opens so you can settle the exact pickup spot, and payment runs securely through Stripe when the lesson is done. There is no membership fee and no booking fee, and you can reschedule up to 24 hours before a lesson without penalty.
Frequently asked questions
What speed should I merge at on the G test?
As close to the speed of traffic as the acceleration lane allows, usually 100 km/h on 400-series highways. Merging well below the flow speed is the most common G-test highway fault.
Do I have to stop at the end of the ramp if there is no gap?
Only as a last resort. Look for the gap early on the ramp and adjust speed to it. Stopping at the end of an acceleration lane is dangerous and is marked heavily.
Does highway traffic have to let me merge?
No. Vehicles already on the highway have the right of way. Your job is to match their speed and fit into a real gap, not to force one.
Can I practise highway driving with a G1?
Only with a licensed driving instructor in the car. With any other accompanying driver, G1 holders may not use 400-series highways or roads such as the QEW, DVP and Gardiner.
Which lane should I drive in on the G test?
The right lane unless you are passing. Lingering in the left lane after a pass is a marked fault.