Getting Practice & Accompanied Driving
Getting Practice & Accompanied Driving:
“120 hours of driving experience - lessons and practice makes a safer driver for life”
Australian Road Safety Authority
If you have an insured car available to you and have arranged an accompanying person, do advise your instructor.
Discuss with the Instructor when it is safe for you to start practice and what you should practice.
It is a good idea for your Accompanying Driver to join in discussions with the Instructor and possibly to come along on a lesson when you are ready to go out on the road without dual controls.
Your driving Instructor will give advice and guidance on what and where to practice
Accompanying drivers often take a lesson to ensure their own driving habits are correct so that they do not pass on bad habits.
With an accompanying driver the Learner has a spare set of eyes and ears, the value of an experienced driver watching for dangers around and the opportunity to get experience in a safe environment.
Ensure that the person you chose to accompany you on your practice is suitable, patient, not too nervous and someone you can accept advice from.
Record all practice, time spent, type of area, weather conditions and all questions that arise during each outing and discuss with the instructor on the next lesson.
When you start practice do continue to take regular lessons with your instructor so that you can get advice on how to deal with problems you may experience and to learn further skills and of course to ensure you are developing correct driving habits.
Accompanying driver:
Giving the gift of time to accompany a learner is the best safety gift anyone can give to someone they care about!
Meet the instructor and do take a lesson and ensure your skills are correct Be patient while the Learner gets used to a different vehicle. Avoid conflict during the drive, if there is an area of disagreement do check it or ask the instructor.
Start with basic steps on wide quiet roads and work on to more demanding areas when the early steps have been mastered.
A little and often is less stressful for both the Learner and the accompanying driver.
Plan the route and discuss beforehand and avoid giving late directions.
Help the Learner by making notes of questions so they can be checked with the instructor.
From July 1 2008 holders of Learner Permits (Provisional Driving Licences
are required by law to be accompanied at all times by the holder of a Full Driving Licence
for the vehicle class they are are driving.
The accompanying person must hold the Full Driving Licence for a minimum of 2 years
Holders of Learner Permits (Provisional Driving Licences) must dsplay an "L" plate, front and rear.
Failure to comply with either the above can result in fines of up to €1000