A good driving position should feel calm, balanced and repeatable. You should be able to reach the pedals without stretching, steer with relaxed arms, see clearly through the windows and understand exactly what each mirror covers. If the setup changes every time you borrow a car or begin a lesson, your first few minutes on the road can become unnecessary guesswork.
This Scarborough beginner’s guide follows the current Official MTO Driver’s Handbook guidance for getting ready to drive. Complete the adjustments while the vehicle is safely parked, before you start moving.
Use the same setup order every time
Adjusting one item can affect another. Moving the seat after setting the mirrors changes the view those mirrors provide, so use this order:
- seat height and distance from the pedals;
- seatback and upright posture;
- head restraint;
- interior rear-view mirror;
- left and right outside mirrors;
- seatbelt and a final view check.
If another driver used the vehicle, assume everything may have moved. A 60-second reset is better than discovering on a busy Scarborough road that the brake pedal feels too far away or a side mirror shows mostly your own car.
Set the seat for pedal control and a clear view
The MTO says you should sit high enough to see over the steering wheel and hood, and be able to see the ground about four metres in front of the vehicle. Sit straight and upright with your elbows slightly bent. Adjust the seat so your feet reach the pedals easily.
The handbook offers a useful position check: place your feet flat on the floor under the brake pedal. If you can do that without stretching, your seat is positioned to support stable pedal use. Your hips and back should remain against the seat rather than sliding forward every time you press the brake.
Do not move so close that your arms are locked or your knees crowd the steering column. Do not recline so far that you must lift your shoulders from the seat to steer. The goal is easy control through the full pedal and steering range, not a posture that merely feels relaxed while parked.
Position the head restraint behind your head
The head restraint is a safety device, not a pillow you should ignore. The MTO advises adjusting it so the back of your head is directly in front of the middle of the restraint. Check this after changing seat height or seatback angle.
A common mistake is leaving the restraint very low or sitting so far forward that there is a large gap behind the head. Keep your head in a natural position and make sure the restraint is centred behind it. If the restraint or seat will not remain securely adjusted, consult the vehicle owner’s manual and have the mechanism checked.
Adjust the interior mirror first
Set the interior rear-view mirror while sitting in your normal driving posture. The MTO says the centre of the mirror should show the centre of the rear window, allowing you to see directly behind the car.
Move the mirror itself rather than leaning your body until the picture looks right. When you return upright, the rear window should still be centred. Avoid touching the mirror once the car is moving; trying to perfect it in traffic takes your attention from the road.
If the rear window is partly blocked by passengers, cargo, fog or dirt, fix the obstruction before leaving when possible. Secure loose items rather than stacking them where they reduce your view or could move during a sudden stop.
Set the outside mirrors to reduce overlap
Many beginners aim both side mirrors inward until a large part of the car’s body is visible. That creates unnecessary overlap and gives less information about the lanes beside you.
The MTO describes a practical adjustment method:
- Left mirror: lean toward the driver’s window and move the mirror until you can just see the rear of your car.
- Right mirror: lean toward the centre of the vehicle and adjust until you can again just see the rear of the car.
Return to your normal upright position and compare the three views. The interior mirror covers the area behind; the outside mirrors extend your view toward the rear corners and neighbouring lanes. The handbook advises avoiding unnecessary overlap between mirror views.
Mirrors reduce blind spots—they do not remove them
Even a careful mirror setup leaves areas beside and behind the vehicle that the mirrors do not show. The MTO says turning your head for a shoulder check is the only way to confirm that nothing is in a blind spot. This is especially important for bicycles, motorcycles and smaller vehicles.
Learn the size of your own vehicle’s blind spots while parked. With another adult assisting from outside, watch in the mirrors as that person walks around the vehicle. Notice where the person disappears and where they become visible again. Keep the vehicle off, use a safe open area and never place the helper in moving traffic.
On the road, connect the setup to a consistent observation routine. Use mirrors to build the traffic picture, then shoulder-check in the direction of a planned lane change. SparkOn’s Ontario lane-change guide explains the sequence, while our article on blind-spot monitors and shoulder checks explains why electronic warnings do not replace looking.
Finish with the seatbelt and steering position
Fasten the seatbelt so it lies snugly. The MTO says the shoulder strap belongs over the shoulder—never under the arm or behind the back—and the lap belt should sit low over the hips rather than across the stomach. Airbags do not replace seatbelts.
With the belt fastened, confirm that you can still turn your head for both shoulder checks and operate every pedal without shifting your hips. The MTO’s driving-along guidance recommends placing your hands at about nine and three on the steering wheel. Your elbows should remain slightly bent, leaving room for smooth steering.
Common setup mistakes to correct before moving
- Setting mirrors while slouched: the view changes when you sit upright.
- Seeing too much of your own car: this wastes side-mirror coverage.
- Using mirrors instead of shoulder checks: blind spots still remain.
- Reaching for the pedals: stretching reduces smooth, consistent control.
- Locking the elbows: stiff arms make steering less fluid.
- Leaving the head restraint too low: centre it behind the back of your head.
- Adjusting after joining traffic: complete the setup while safely parked.
If the controls or mirrors are unfamiliar, check the owner’s manual before driving. For a separate inspection of lights, tires, documents and road-test readiness, use SparkOn’s Ontario road-test car checklist.
Your 60-second Scarborough pre-drive checklist
- Can I see over the steering wheel and hood?
- Can I reach the pedals without stretching?
- Are my back and hips supported with elbows slightly bent?
- Is the head restraint centred behind my head?
- Does the interior mirror centre the rear window?
- Do the outside mirrors extend my view with little overlap?
- Can I complete left and right shoulder checks comfortably?
- Is the seatbelt snug, low over the hips and across the shoulder?
- Are windows clear and loose objects secured?
Repeat the checklist in every vehicle until it becomes automatic. A correct setup will not make decisions for you, but it gives you a better position from which to see, steer, brake and shoulder-check.
Practise a confident pre-drive routine in Scarborough
If seat position, mirror use or blind-spot checks still feel uncertain, book a Scarborough driving lesson with SparkOn. An instructor can help you build a repeatable setup and observation routine before practising on local streets. Contact SparkOn Driving Academy to plan lessons for your G1, G2 or full G goals.