Parents are often the main teachers and supervisors of their sons and daughters when it comes to teaching them to drive but we may not always feel that we are properly qualified to do that. Sometimes in our anxiety for their safety and our own we effectively ‘take control’ of the driving lesson and tell the learner driver where to go, what to do and when to do it. Perhaps these factors explain why the time of learning to drive is extremely safe but the probability of an accident literally skyrockets in the twelve months after the learner has gained their P plates and goes solo.
The Australian Government’s Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development has developed a new approach to driver training, keys2drive, which provides a free driving lesson to address this skyrocketing of the risk of an accident after a learner driver has gained their licence. keys2drive is a revolutionary approach to learning road safety and the free driving lesson is an opportunity for the learner driver, driving instructor and parent/supervisor to learn it together.
The free lesson goes for 60 minutes, during which the keys2drive accredited driving instructor will explain the keys2drive learning approach – ‘Find Your Own Way’ – and offer examples of how it can be used when learning to drive. The remaining lesson time includes a practical demonstration of these skills being used and taught and you will be driving.
The keys2drive free lesson is not intended to replace normal driving lessons rather, it should complement them by empowering learner drivers to ‘Find Their Own Way’ to becoming safer drivers.
Learner drivers will receive training in the best ways to practice, helping them gain the confidence they need to prepare for safe P plate driving and beyond.
Parents/supervisors will come away with tools to help their learner drivers achieve a good foundation for lifelong safe driving.
Register for the free lesson on keys2drive.com.au or alternatively have your son or daughter drop by the Youth Worker’s office to collect the business card of one of the accredited driving instructors and then contact them directly.
Michael Donnelly
Youth Worker, Senior Campus
