Tips for supervising a learner driver

Supervising a learner is an important and rewarding role, but we’re not going to lie — some lessons might leave you sitting white-knuckled and sweating in the passenger seat. So here are our tips to help minimise stress while building your learner’s confidence and ability.

Parents aren’t the only people who can supervise a learner driver; a sibling, friend or licensed driving instructor are also able to teach someone how to drive, as long as they meet the necessary requirements specific to their state/territory.

As a supervising driver, broadly, you’ll need:

• a current and full Australian driver licence
• a blood or breath alcohol concentration (BAC) of less than 0.05
• a solid understanding of the road rules.

A current and full licence is required everywhere (not probationary), but the time you’ve held it for can impact your eligibility to supervise. Here’s a summary of what’s required in each state/territory:

• In Western Australia, supervising drivers need to have held a current driver’s licence for 4 years.
  
  
• In South Australia, supervising drivers need to have held an unconditional full licence for 2 years.
  
  
• Tasmanian and Queensland supervisors need to have held a licence continuously for at least 12 months.
  
  
• New South Wales, Victorian and Northern Territory supervising drivers require a full Australian driver licence.

Road rules can be updated as a result of new technologies and road upgrades, so some things may have changed since you got your licence. So no matter where you’re located, it’s important to refresh your understanding of the rules before taking a learner driver out for a lesson.

Get started by downloading or purchasing your state/territory’s handbook for both you and your learner to read:

• New South Wales handbook
  
  
• Northern Territory handbook
  
  
• Queensland handbook
  
  
• South Australian handbook
  
  
• Tasmanian handbook
  
  
• Victorian handbook
  
  
• Western Australian handbook.

Most transport and road authority websites also have helpful video tutorials you can watch. These can be especially useful for learning how to master some of the trickier rules and manoeuvres (we’re looking at you, Melbourne hook turns!).

Learning to drive takes time, patience and a good plan. By having a rough outline about what to teach each lesson, you can gradually improve a learner’s confidence, competence and road knowledge without too much overwhelm.

Here are some ideas to help you get started:

Remember, no matter how many lessons you’ve had, if things start to feel too overwhelming or stressful for either one of you, find a safe place to pull over to breathe and reset.

You may also consider professional driving lessons or workshops as a complement to your own instruction. Professional instruction has many advantages, including:

• Safety and security: dual pedals in drive-school cars can help reduce collision risk and provide a sense of security.
  
  
• A sense of calm: instructors are trained to handle first-drive jitters.
  
  
• Objectivity: a professional driver’s feedback or instruction is unbiased and may be accepted more objectively by a learner than a parent or sibling’s feedback.
  
  
• Current knowledge: professionals are expected to have up-to-date knowledge of all the latest road rules and regulations.

Wondering how to cover a learner driver while you’re supervising them? You’re not alone – it's a common question!

How it works can differ depending on the insurer, but with NRMA Car Insurance, you don’t need to list a learner driver on your policy. If a learner driver is involved in a collision in your vehicle while under your supervision and a claim is made under your policy, we base the related excess on your excess.

If a learner driver is the registered owner of the car they’re learning in, then they might consider taking out their own policy. In this situation, they might choose to list you as an additional driver on their policy.