P-plater crash avoidance
Below are some practical 'tactics' to reduce a P-plater's risk of crashing.
Some of the tactics place a big responsibility on you, but it’s worth the effort when you consider the consequences of not accepting the task.
Tactic for Learner Driver | What you both can do |
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Stay on L's for as long as possible. Delay getting P's | Negotiate a reward for staying on L's; continue to be a 'taxi'; help to work out transport options; ask friends or family to help out with driving practice. |
Keep focused on the target - six months zero harm | Negotiate rewards for making safe progress towards six months on P plates with zero harm, or consequences for not making safe progress. |
Drive supervised even on P's | Drive in the P plate driver's car; continue to invite them to drive you in your car. |
Get real about P readiness | Ask a Keys2drive accredited driving instructor for a P plate ready assessment. If you want to have a go at making an assessment together with your learner driver, use the P plate ready indicator |
Stay within experience/td> | Help provide your learner wide experience on L's. Encourage them to drive within the range of L experiences and then gradually widen P experience. |
Drive with room for error | Encourage your learner to:
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Keep thinking like a learner when on P's | Continue to encourage deep experience – your P plater will benefit from thinking like a learner driver and begin to notice smaller and smaller mistakes. |
Drive in a safer car | Your learner should buy a car with the highest ANCAP star rating they can afford. When the risk to the P plate driver could be higher, e.g. driving at night, let them borrow your car if it's a safer one. |
Drive to use less fuel | Help your learner learn how to drive to use less fuel. Generally it's safer because you have to think further ahead and drive more smoothly. |
Manage special P plate driver risks | Some situations are identified as particularly risky for P platers. Advise these management tactics:
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