Teaching your Teenager How to Drive

Having a teenager on their learner license in the house means there will be a driver trainer needed too!
It’s a twofold job teaching a learner driver – you need to both brush up on your road rules and your teaching skills!

A great way to start is with a free government initiative called Keys 2 Drive.
The program provides a free driving lesson to learner license holders which is for both the learner and their parent/supervisor.
An accredited driving instructor joins you and your teen to help both you and them to start on your driver learning journey.
Read more about the program here: Keys 2 Drive

Choosing the right driving Instructor

If budget allows, having a professional driving instructor for a few lessons is beneficial, especially for the trickier skills like reverse parking, traffic negotiation and merging!
Tips for choosing the right Instructor
• Ask for recommendations from friends
• Read Google and Facebook reviews on the instructor/driving school.
• Choose an instructor that will prepare a driving plan
• Look for an instructor that has a good driving manner – someone who will make driving fun
• Make sure you learn in a car like what your teenager will be driving and doing their test in
• Don’t choose on price – find the right instructor and ask them to price match


Training Tips

Often this is the hardest part – going from parent to trainer! You don’t want to discourage them or spend the entire time arguing!
The more preparation you do, the more you will enjoy the process.

Re-read the rules – It’s time to jump online and get familiar with any road rules and ensure that you don’t remember them incorrectly! Some new ones have slipped in since you sat for your learners.
You can find your State rules on the links below:
NSW – VIC – ACT – TAS – SA – WA – NT

Car Maintenance Check

Before lesson one, do a 10-minute car maintenance check with your learner.
It’s a good habit from them to start for the get go.
The Service Station is a good place to do this. Use the checklist below as a guide:
Under the bonnet
• Check the Oil level
• Check the Coolant level
• Look over the hoses for any cracking
• Top up the windscreen wiper reservoir
Tyres
• Check the tyres (including the spare) for any nicks or bulges
• Check the tyre tread
• Check the Tyre pressure
• Teach them some basic car maintenance
• Tyre pressure, how to change a tyre, under bonnet check
• Check that you have a car jack and a wheel brace (and a spare tyre)
Grab a spare pair of L plates and pop them into the glovebox, as well as a first aid kit.

Check your PDS

Look over your car insurance PDS (Product Disclosure Statement)?
Check that you are covered for a learner driver and whether you need to add their name to your policy.


Photo Do’s and Don’ts when your Kids get their L or P license

Galmatic Road Ready Kit

It’s one of the major milestones that teenagers look forward to and love to document, however many of the photos they upload, share way too much information.
Here are our tips to document the occasion:
✅ Focus on the L plate/P plate and their smile and make it a close up. Document the feeling rather than the surroundings.
❌ Don’t put their license in the photo
If you include car keys, use an old one, not the car they drive
❌ Don’t show the car number plate
❌ Don’t show the house address Further Reading

Enjoy teaching your Teenager and please reach our if you have any questions. Safe driving!

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