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Here are a few things you'll never see again on Canadian airwaves: a driver racing his Renault against a speeding bullet through an Italian mountain pass; a young man ignoring his girlfriend's complaints that he's driving too fast; and a pair of deadly assailants smashing a series of luxury vehicles and motorbikes in pursuit of a British action hero. Domestic car manufacturers and importers are operating under a tighter leash after Advertising Standards Canada (ASC) handed down new guidelines banning depictions of unsafe driving last month. Ads may not suggest that exceeding the speed limit, car chases in a residential setting, or other unsafe driving practices are acceptable.

The new measures were sparked by legislation in Quebec banning such ads, and a growing number of complaints across the country from consumers who believe such advertisements act as inducements to poor behaviour on the roads.

“Governments, both federal and provincial, have identified speed as an issue, and safety concerns in advertising,” noted David Adams, president of the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada, which represents importers.

The penalties do not extend to fines, but a marketer who goes too far can be required to pull future appearances of a particular ad, which can cause a campaign to stumble. While previous ASC guidelines have prohibited depictions of unsafe driving, the new voluntary rules offer greater clarity on the sorts of scenes and behaviour that would be considered unacceptable.

For a company like Volkswagen, the changes are welcome. In early 2008, VW ran afoul of ASC guidelines for a TV commercial in its “Safe Happens” campaign that showed a young driver swerving to avoid obstacles on the road. “We felt it was a really good spot to raise awareness and depict active safety features, yet the consumer found it depicted unsafe driving,” recalled Bruce Rosen, the director of marketing and communications for Volkswagen Canada.

“We don't want to take the creative juices away from our agencies. We pay them dearly to be creative. We want to make sure they're directing their energies to abide by all the rules of the land.”

Agencies are only beginning to grapple with the new rules. “It's certainly going to change the way we approach the work,” said Helyn Bernard, a group account director at Saatchi & Saatchi in Toronto. Still, she pointed to the increasing use of humour in automotive ads and suggested car companies will try to stir responses other than a quickened pulse. “It's going to present a challenge to brands …which are built on characteristics of power and speed.”

Car companies point out that restricting their ads will not stop impressionable viewers from seeing smash-'em-ups. After airing during this year's Super Bowl broadcast, an expensive spot for the Audi A6 with the British actor Jason Statham ( The Transporter ), featuring a high-speed chase and car crashes, was viewed by hundreds of thousands online. “We simply can't regulate or control things that spill over into the Canadian marketplace,” says Stephen Beatty, the managing director of Toyota Canada.

And some of the worst offenders are not even in the car business. An ad for the new Forza Motorsports 3 video game – which is rated E, suggesting it is acceptable for all ages – features cars swerving out of control, rolling over, and smashing into each other. Some car industry executives point to Hollywood movies and even tire manufacturers as airing unsafe depictions.

But others suggest the new guidelines may help create an environment in which those other ads become unacceptable. Some other territories, including Britain, already have similar advertising restrictions in place.

“If the world influences Canada because borders are breaking down, we're also trying to influence the world,” Mr. Beatty says. “There's an opportunity, because Canadians are taking a long, hard look at the proper depiction of products in advertising, to help influence global standards.”