Will my teen drive on main roads in the first lesson?

It’s worth asking your driving school when you book. Some teens feel calmer with a parent or guardian nearby, while others concentrate better alone with the instructor. Either way, your teen’s first lesson is about building a safe and confident start, and you can help afterwards by asking how it went and supporting their practice.

It varies from person to person. Some young drivers need only a handful of quality lessons alongside regular practice with a supervising driver, while others need more. After a few lessons, your driving instructor can give you a realistic idea of how many more your teen will need, based on their progress and how they handle the learning process.

Yes. Lessons with an accredited instructor can be recorded in your teen’s log book or the myLearners app. Learner drivers under 21 need at least 120 hours of supervised driving in total, including 20 at night. Professional tuition is a great way to build good driving skills and defensive driving habits, which you can then reinforce during practice together.

Usually not. A professional driving instructor will typically start on quiet residential streets or in low-traffic areas, so your teen can get used to the steering wheel, mirrors, indicator and dashboard without the pressure of busy traffic. Main roads, roundabouts and multi-lane intersections come as your teen’s confidence grows and they learn to spot and anticipate a hazard.

Comfortable clothes and flat, closed-in shoes. Avoid heels, thick soles and thongs, because they make it hard to feel the brake and accelerator. Good footwear helps your teen stay in control of the pedals and focus on the road.