Rules for Driving in Nova Scotia

• Everyone in the vehicle must be secured appropriately. That means using seat belts, car seats, or booster seats.
• Children younger than 9 must use a car seat or booster seat. See Car Seats and Booster Seats later in this section.
• It is against the law to smoke tobacco in your vehicle if a person younger than 19 is with you.
• It is against the law to drive a vehicle during or after drinking alcohol, or using drugs including cannabis. To find out more, visit novascotia.ca/sns/rmv/safe/alcohol.asp
• It is against the law to use a handheld mobile phone while you drive. You may use a hands-free device.
• You must yield to moving emergency vehicles. This means:
  • You see an emergency vehicle driving behind you or towards you
  • Its lights are flashing, there may be a siren
  • Pull to the right and stop if it is safe to do so
  • Wait until the emergency vehicle passes before driving again
• You must give room to stopped emergency vehicles. This means:
  • You see an emergency vehicle stopped at the side of the road
  • Its lights are flashing
  • Slow down to 60 km/h or obey the speed limit if it is lower than 60 km/h if it is safe to do so
  • On a highway with 2 or more lanes, move to the lane further away from the stopped vehicle, if it is safe to do so

You do not need to slow down or move over if the vehicle is on the other side of the median on a divided highway. To find out more, visit novascotia.ca/slowdownmoveover

• You must yield to school buses. This means:
  • You see a yellow school bus is stopped in front of you on either side of the road.
  • Its red lights are flashing.
  • Stop and wait until the red lights have been turned off and the school bus is moving again.
• You must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and waiting to cross. Pedestrians include anyone walking, using a wheelchair, or other mobility aid.
• You must leave one metre (3 feet) of space between your vehicle and a cyclist when you pass a cyclist on the road.

Car Seats and Booster Seats

In Nova Scotia, children younger than 9 must be safely secured in a car seat or booster seat while in a moving vehicle. The seat must meet 2 criteria:

• It is the right fit for their age, weight, and height
• It is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions

To find out more, visit childsafetylink.ca and type “Nova Scotia Car Seat Laws” in the search box.

Call 1-866-288-1388

To find information in other languages, visit childsafetylink.ca and type “Resources in Other Languages” in the search box.

Maggie’s Place can help choose a car seat or booster seat and help install it.

To find out more: see, Resources for Families with Children

Kinds of Car Seats

Your child no longer needs a car seat when they meet one of these conditions:

• They are 9 years old
• They are 145 cm (4 feet 9 inches) tall