Skip to main content
myLearners
  • Learner driver and her mum in the car

    How to be a good supervising driver

    Read how to help your learner drive safely.

In this topic

Why your learner needs you

Video: what kind of driver are you raising?

Tips to help your learner

Your legal requirements as a supervising driver

""

Why your learner needs you

Your learner needs you to guide and support them.

You’re there to:

  • Help them develop the skills and attitudes of a safe driver.
  • Make lots of time to take them on drives in many different conditions.
  • Plan drives with them based on the stage of the learner period they’re in.
  • Give them feedback on how they’re going.
  • Help them get at least 120 hours driving experience.

Keep in mind, many learners log more than 120 hours, so you should support them to do this.

The more experience in many conditions they get, the less likely they’ll crash on their Ps.

What kind of driver are you raising?

Kids learn more from your behaviour than you may realise.

How you drive can have a huge influence on kids aged five to 12 years and the type of drivers they'll become.

Together with your learner, you can:

""

Plan drives

Plan drives, routes and tasks that match their skills and level of experience.

 

""

Be distraction free

Limit distractions at first. Slowly introduce navigation or streamed music, set up before driving.

""

Put away phones

No phones at first. Slowly introduce streamed music or navigation. No voice controls or talking on phone.

""

Turn off music

Keep music off when they first start learning to drive and turn it up to normal levels when they’re more experienced.

""

Talk through what they see

Get your learner to talk about what they see and do on each drive.

 

""

Talk about signs and signals

Talk with them about signs, speed limits, potential hazards and the good behaviour of other road users.

""

Talk through driving decisions

Get them to talk through their driving decisions as they make them.

""

Discuss feedback

Give your learner positive feedback and praise your learner when they drive safely.

 

""

Build confidence

Help them build their confidence but not at the expense of safe driving behaviours.

""

Take breaks

Decide when your learner needs to stop the vehicle and take a break.

 

""

Take over the drive

Recognise when you need to take over the drive from your learner.

 

""

Have post drive discussions

Have a quick chat after the drive to talk about what they think went well and what else they could’ve done.

""

Your legal requirements to supervise

When you supervise, you must:

  • Have a current full car licence (not your Ps).
  • Have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) under 0.05 or 0 if you’ve got an alcohol interlock or are a driving instructor.
  • Never drink alcohol while in a vehicle with your learner.
  • Be listed as a supervising driver in their myLearners app or in their paper logbook.
  • Use a registered and roadworthy car, suitable for your learner.

If you have car insurance, then check your car is covered when your learner is driving.

Read more

What's in stage one

Check out stage one car control.