DOCUMENT 5 FOI 24/25-1488- DISCLOSURE LOG
Research Request – Learner Driver in Australia
Statistics and research to support the development of an NDIS funding position or at least and advice position.
For a Learner (Class C – car) driver in Australia – What are the percentage of learners who access driving lessons (as opposed to learning from family/friends)?
1.) For Learner (Class C – car) driver’s doing the log book system – How many driving lessons do they usually require?
2.) For a Learner (Class C – car) driver, not doing a log book system but instead the state on‐road licensing test ‐ How many driving lessons do they usually require?
3.) Are there any differences (patterns) between different Australian states regarding driving instructor usage?
Brief 4.) Is there any evidence regarding the number of lessons an adult usually requires to learn to drive with a left accelerator in auto car as a new driver?
5.) Is there any evidence regarding the number of lessons an adult usually requires to re‐learn to drive with a left accelerator in auto car (rather than a right one) as an existing driver?
6.) Is there any evidence regarding the maximum number of driving lessons funded by other funding agencies (eg TAC, Lifetime support scheme, DVA etc…) prior to them requiring further evidence ( ‐ if so what is the required evidence ‐ ? a Driver Trained OT on ‐road assessment review)
7.) Is there any evidence regarding the position in regard to funding Learner driving lessons for other funding agencies (eg TAC, Lifetime support scheme, DVA etc…). Do they consider whether some or all of this is an everyday cost for consumers and therefore not cover it.
Date July, 2020
s22(1)(a)(ii) - irre Requester Shannon (Assistant Director – TAB)
s22(1)(a)(ii) - i Researcher Craig (Tactical Research Advisor – TAB/AAT)
Please note:
The research and literature reviews collated by our TAB Research Team are not to be shared external to the Branch. These are for internal TAB use only and are intended to assist our advisors with their reasonable and necessary decision‐making.
Delegates have access to a wide variety of comprehensive guidance material. If Delegates require further information on access or planning matters they are to call the TAPS line for advice.
The Research Team are unable to ensure that the information listed below provides an accurate & up‐to‐date snapshot of these matters.
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Australia’s National Driver Licensing Scheme …………………………………………………………………………….. 2
Australia’s standard graduated licensing system (GLS) for cars ……………………………………………………. 2
Learners who access driving lessons with professional instructors as opposed to family/friends …….. 3
Number of Lessons: Log Book System/State on‐road Licensing Test and Driving Instructor Usage …… 4
Number of Lessons: Adults learning to drive with a left accelerator in auto car as a new driver ………. 7
Number of Lessons: Adults re‐learning to drive with a left accelerator in auto car (rather than a right one) as an existing driver ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8
Number of Lessons: maximum number of driving lessons funded by other funding agencies …………. 8
Traffic Accident Commission L2P Program …………………………………………………………………………….. 8
Funding learner driving lessons for other funding agencies …………………………………………………………. 9
Traffic Accident commission TAC ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9
Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) ………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
Lifetime Support Scheme …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10
Cohorts ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
References ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11
Australia’s National Driver Licensing Scheme
In 1997, Australia implemented a National Driver Licensing Scheme (NDLS), establishing a single driver licence classification structure, eligibility criteria and a uniform set of requirements for key driver licensing transactions including the issue, variation, renewal, suspension and cancellation of licences.
Although Australia operates a federated licensing scheme (administered by the individual states and territories), the NDLS has been adopted by all Australian jurisdictions and, as a result, facilitates the mutual recognition between Australian jurisdictions of driver licences when transferring between jurisdictions. [1]
Australia’s standard graduated licensing system (GLS) for cars
All Australian jurisdictions have introduced a GLS for novice drivers. The fundamental components of Australia’s standard GLS policy framework are outlined below. All Australian jurisdictions currently meet or exceed these requirements. [1]
GLS requirements:
Learner permit at 16 years – supervised driving required
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12 months minimum holding of learner permit Requirement to undertake at least 50 hours supervised driving recorded in a log book Practical on‐road test to achieve solo unsupervised licence Hazard Perception Test as part of GLS Solo licensing from 17 years Zero Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) and no hand held mobiles during entire learner/provisional period Lower demerit point threshold for novice drivers Community education about risks associated with: o Novice drivers and late night driving and carrying multiple passengers o Young drivers on a full licence and drink driving Support programs to assist disadvantaged drivers to progress.
Learners who access driving lessons with professional instructors as opposed to family/friends
No research or statistics could be sourced indicating learners who access driving lessons with professional instructors as opposed to family/friends.
In 2013 The Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety – Queensland, published a series of three reports which examined education and training for novice drivers. The third and final report [2] provided an overview of the graduated driver licensing (GDL) system and outlines the expert opinion of four international novice driver experts about the potential road safety impacts of different training approaches if applied to the GDL system in place within Queensland.
In looking at supervised on road practice the report indicated that “All of the experts were in agreement that this is an effective way for the learner to gain experience and that there is strong potential for positive road safety effects in particular because of the potential to extend the learner phase using a mandated hours requirement. It was recognised that a certain amount of practice will be necessary before road safety effects can be realised, however, experts noted that there is no clear consensus in the literature as to how many hours this should be”.
The report also looked at the advantages and disadvantages of professional instructor lessons as opposed to supervision by family/friends with the following observations:
Advantages
Exposes learners to practice driving under supervision which has a low crash risk. Allows gradual progression of practice from low crash risk (e.g. car parks) to higher risk conditions (e.g. night time driving). Allows parents to judge if the novice is ready to take their test. Increasing quantity of private supervision during learner phase is the most investigated and promoted way to reduce P1 crashes and has been shown to be effective at reducing crash risk in the first 2 unsupervised years.
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Without private supervision learners would likely rely on professional lessons, which often lack variety. Research suggests bad habits picked up from private supervisors does not outweigh the overall benefits, and likely could be addressed by good professional instruction. Required 100+ hours has potential to delay licensing which has safety benefits.
Disadvantages
Parents do not always have sufficient tools to assist them as supervisors. Not all parents are good drivers or good teachers. Learners may adopt poor/unsafe/risky driving from a private supervisor. It is not clear from research the extent to which supervised driving experience translates into safer driving when unsupervised. Effects are only found if supervised practice is for a longer rather than shorter time/distance travelled. Required 100+ hours results in more practice of novices but puts a strain on some families.
Number of Lessons: Log Book System/State on-road Licensing Test and Driving Instructor Usage
No state stipulates the number of driving lessons required. Instead, most states stipulate the minimum number of hours of supervised driving which needs to be recorded in a log book.
It appears to be recognized that the number of lessons required depends on the individual driver’s skills, confidence and other factors.
The number of hours required varies from state to state and varies according the age of the driver. In some states a log book does not need to be completed if the driver is over a certain age.
For all states, it appears there are no requirements regarding number of driving lessons for Learner Drivers not doing a log book system but instead the state on‐road licensing test.
In all states anyone holding an appropriate licence can supervise/instruct the learning driver. No states stipulate the use a professional driving instructor. Only one state (NSW) gives an incentive to drivers to use a professional instructor by offering bonus log book hours.
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Below is table summarizing the general requirements per state for log book systems and driver instructor usage.
Australian State & Link to authority responsible for LOG BOOK SYSTEM Driving Instructor Usage driver licensing functions NSW: Roads and Maritime AGE: Under the age of 25 must complete a Anyone holding an appropriate Services New South Wales minimum of 120 hours of supervised driving licence can supervise/instruct the experience (including at least 20 hours at night). learning driver.
Aged 25 or older doesn’t need to fill out a log book Professional Driving Instructor or complete any minimum amount of supervised driving. No stipulation to use a professional driving instructor.
LOG BOOK: Hours must be recorded in a paper log There is a 3 for1 bonus hours book or log book app. incentive: If Lerner has lessons with a professional driving Exemptions to the 120 hours include instructor: for every 1 hour structured driving lesson, Lerner Previously held a NSW or interstate driver licence, can record 3 hours driving other than a learner licence experience in their log book.
Previously held an overseas licence, other than a learner licence
Hold an overseas licence, other than a learner licence, and are issued with a learner licence after failing one driving test
Are specifically exempted by Roads and Maritime Services.
VIC: VicRoads AGE: Under the age of 21 must complete a Anyone holding an appropriate minimum of 120 hours of supervised driving licence can supervise/instruct the experience (including at least 20 hours at night). learning driver.
Aged 21 or older doesn’t need to fill out a log book Professional Driving Instructor or complete any minimum amount of supervised driving. No stipulation to use a professional driving instructor
LOG BOOK: Hours must be recorded in a paper log book or log book app.
Exemptions to the 120 hours include:
If the nature of your essential activities, occupation, employment or family circumstances means that 120 hours of supervised driving would cause you or your family undue hardship.
If you have sufficient previous driving experience (interstate and overseas experience will be considered).
QLD: Department of AGE: Under the age of 25 must complete a Anyone holding an appropriate Transport and Main Roads minimum of 100 hours of supervised driving licence can supervise/instruct the Queensland experience (including at least 10 hours at night). learning driver.
Professional Driving Instructor
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Australian State & Link to authority responsible for LOG BOOK SYSTEM Driving Instructor Usage driver licensing functions Aged 25 or older doesn’t need to fill out a log book No stipulation to use a or complete any minimum amount of supervised professional driving instructor driving.
LOG BOOK: Hours must be recorded in a paper log book or log book app.
Exemptions to the 100 hours: Will need to prove that at least one of the following circumstances applies to you: No car available, No supervisor available. Limited access to a road network. Source>
WA: Department of AGE: Under the age of 25 must complete a Anyone holding an appropriate Transport Western minimum of 50 hours of supervised driving licence can supervise/instruct the Australia experience (including at least 5 hours at night). learning driver.
Aged 25 or older doesn’t need to fill out a log book Professional Driving Instructor or complete any minimum amount of supervised driving. No stipulation to use a professional driving instructor LOG BOOK: Hours must be recorded in an app log book only. No paper log book.
Exemptions: none sourced
SA: Department of AGE: Any age must complete a minimum of 75 Anyone holding an appropriate Planning, Transport and hours of supervised driving experience (including licence can supervise/instruct the Infrastructure South at least 15 hours at night). learning driver. Australia Any age required to fill out a log book or complete Professional Driving Instructor any minimum amount of supervised driving No stipulation to use a LOG BOOK: Hours must be recorded in a paper log professional driving instructor book or log book app
Exemptions: Exemption to hours of supervised driving may be granted if learner has driving experience from other states.
TAS: Department of State At least 80 hours of supervised driving experience Anyone holding an appropriate Growth Tasmania (including at least 15 hours at night). licence can supervise/instruct the learning driver. Two stages to learner Driving: Professional Driving Instructor L1 Stage: No log book required, Supervisory Driver required. No stipulation to use a professional driving instructor L2 Stage: Includes Driving Assessment, then Supervisory Driver required, and completion of log book (no app log) Source>
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Australian State & Link to authority responsible for LOG BOOK SYSTEM Driving Instructor Usage driver licensing functions NT: Department of AGE: If under 25 years old need to hold provisional Anyone holding an appropriate Transport Northern licence for at least two years before upgrading to a licence can supervise/instruct the Territory full licence. learning driver.
If you are 25 or older provisional licence needs to Professional Driving Instructor be held for at least one year. No stipulation to use a No minimum driving hours required. professional driving instructor
LOG BOOK: None required
ACT: Road Transport AGE: Under the age of 25 must complete a Anyone holding an appropriate Authority Australian Capital minimum of 100 hours of supervised driving licence can supervise/instruct the Territory experience (including at least 10 hours at night). learning driver.
Aged 25 or older required to complete 50 Professional Driving Instructor supervised driving hours including 5 at night. For the first 10 hours, 3 hours of LOG BOOK: Hours must be recorded in the paper supervised driving hours will be log book only. There is no app log. applied for each singular hour driven whilst supervised by an Exemptions: none sourced ACT Accredited Driving Instructor.
Number of Lessons: Adults learning to drive with a left accelerator in auto car as a new driver
No research or statistics could be sourced indicating the number of lessons required for adults learning to drive with a left foot accelerator in auto car as a new driver.
Below is table summarizing the general requirements per state for adults learning to drive with a left accelerator in auto car.
Australian State & Link to information regarding the left accelerator Summary of requirement requirement NSW: Roads and Maritime Services In an automatic vehicle, the accelerator and brake can be used by either the New South Wales right or left leg, or both (one for each pedal). If you only use your left leg, the accelerator should be fitted to the left of the brake pedal (unless Roads Driving with a disability: Leg and Maritime approves operation with the pedals in their normal position). disabilities
VIC: VicRoads A person who has no functional use of their right foot or leg needs to use a left foot accelerator unless they can demonstrate appropriate control by Guidelines for Occupational Therapy use of prosthesis (if relevant). VicRoads will not test an applicant if the left (OT) Driver Assessors. foot is used to operate an accelerator fitted to the right of the brake pedal. Where an additional accelerator pedal is fitted to the left of the existing brake pedal, both the right and left accelerator pedal must be independently capable of being rendered inoperable.
QLD: Department of Transport and While there are no requirements which specifically cover the location of a Main Roads left foot brake or accelerator pedal, attention should be paid to the
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Australian State & Link to information regarding the left accelerator Summary of requirement requirement operator’s needs. Due care should also be taken to ensure there is sufficient Queensland Code of Practice Vehicle clearance from the brake pedal, to reduce the risk of the driver accidentally Modifications Version 4.2 | February depressing the incorrect pedal. Where a vehicle is fitted with an additional 2020 accelerator pedal, the accelerator pedal not in use must be able to be: fitted with a cover; or, folded away; or disconnected/rendered inoperative.
WA: Department of Transport Western Not found Australia
SA: Department of Planning, Transport Not found and Infrastructure South Australia
TAS: Department of State Growth Not found Tasmania
NT: Department of Transport Northern Not found Territory
ACT: Road Transport Authority Not found Australian Capital Territory
Number of Lessons: Adults re-learning to drive with a left accelerator in auto car (rather than a right one) as an existing driver
No research or statistics could be sourced indicating the number of lessons required for adults re‐ learning to drive with a left foot accelerator in auto car as an existing driver.
Number of Lessons: maximum number of driving lessons funded by other funding agencies
Other than a Victorian program funded by TAC, no evidence from other funding agencies could be found indicating a maximum number of driving lessons.
Traffic Accident Commission L2P Program
The TAC L2P Program is a state wide program funded by the TAC that matches young learner drivers with supervising driver mentors. The purpose of the program is to enable the learner driver to meet the mandated 120 hours of driving practice required to gain a probationary licence.
Participants are eligible for up to 7 professional driving lessons from a registered driving instructor. [3]
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Funding learner driving lessons for other funding agencies
Traffic Accident commission TAC
TAC do not indicate the number of lessons or hours of instruction they will fund.
TAC pay the reasonable cost of a driving program, when recommended by an occupational therapist and overseen by a qualified driving instructor, in the following circumstances:
The transport accident injury imposes physical, psychological or cognitive restrictions on your client, and
Driving and participation will enable your client to commence, or return to, safe and competent driving.
TAC can pay for:
driving instructor fees. lessons and training on how to use adaptations in modified vehicles. travel for a specialised driving instructor when: o your client with special needs requires a suitably modified vehicle, and o an instructor with the necessary skills and experience is not located near your client’s home.
TAC will not pay for:
driving lessons for your client if their driver’s licence or learner permit is under suspension or has been cancelled for reasons which are not directly related to their transport accident injuries driving permit and licence fees driving programs that are not conducted safely driving programs conducted by an occupational therapist with no specialist training in driver assessment [4]
TAC Driving assessment (Instructor) services provided on or after 1 July 2020 [5]
Service Description TAC Item Number Maximum Payment Rate
Driving Assessment By Driving School ‐ Driving Instructor Fees
For 30 Minutes ED0015* $51.70
For 45 Minutes ED0015* $77.55
For 60 Minutes ED0015* $103.39
Pro‐Rata For Longer Periods
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Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA)
No evidence could be found with regard to funding for learner driving lessons.
Lifetime Support Scheme
No specific evidence could be found regarding learner driving lessons other than an indication that the scheme “facilitated driving lessons and modifications to a vehicle” for a SCI participant [6], and that another participant is “is undergoing lessons to learn how to drive a modified vehicle”. [7]
Cohorts
Although an extensive search was not carried out with regard to particular disability cohorts and driving education, there appears to be some research available in this area on learning methods, which may give insight into the number of hours/lesson requirements.
For example a study on learner drivers with cerebral palsy suggested a need for better methods for teaching CP learners search strategies, as problems increased for CP learners in those parts of training where high demands are set on visual search abilities. [8]
A 2017 study set out to explore the facilitators or barriers to driving education experienced by individuals with ASD or ADHD who obtained a learner’s permit, from the perspective of the learner drivers and their driving instructors. It found that driving license theory was more challenging for individuals with ADHD, whilst individuals with ASD found translating theory into practice and adjusting to “unfamiliar” driving situations to be the greatest challenges. [9]
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References
[1] Australian Driver Licensing. https://austroads.com.au/drivers‐and‐vehicles/registration‐ and‐licensing/australian‐driver‐licensing. Accessed 9 July 2020. https://austroads.com.au/drivers‐and‐vehicles/registration‐and‐licensing/australian‐ driver‐licensing
[2] The Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety Queensland(CARRS), How would changing driver training in the Queensland licensing system affect road safety?: Deliverable 3: Evidence‐based driver education policy options, 2013, https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/‐/media/Safety/roadsafety/Road‐safety‐research‐ reports/report‐3‐evidence.pdf?la=en
[3] TAC. VicRoads and TAC Win Health Award for Learner Driver Mentor Program. http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/about‐the‐tac/media‐and‐events/news‐and‐events/2013‐ media‐releases/vicroads‐and‐tac‐win‐health‐award‐for‐learner‐driver‐mentor‐program. Accessed 14 July 2020.
[4] TAC. Driving Instructor Guidelines. http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/providers/working‐with‐ tac‐clients/guidelines/provider‐guidelines/driving‐instructor‐guideline. Accessed 14 July 2020.
[5] TAC. Driving Assessment (Instructor) Fees. http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/providers/invoicing‐and‐fees/fee‐schedule/driving‐ assessment‐instructor. Accessed 14 July 2020.
[6] Richard Davis | Lifetime Support Authority – South Australia. https://lifetimesupport.sa.gov.au/participants/participant‐stories/richard‐davis/. Accessed 15 July 2020.
[7] Peter Norde | Lifetime Support Authority – South Australia. https://lifetimesupport.sa.gov.au/participants/participant‐stories/peter‐norde/. Accessed 15 July 2020.
[8] Falkmer, Torbjörn, and Nils Petter Gregersen. “Fixation Patterns of Learner Drivers with and without Cerebral Palsy (CP) When Driving in Real Traffic Environments.” Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, vol. 4, no. 3, Sept. 2001, pp. 171–85. ScienceDirect, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1369847801000213
[9] “Experiences of Facilitators or Barriers in Driving Education from Learner and Novice Drivers with ADHD or ASD and Their Driving Instructors.” Autism CRC, 29 July 2015, https://www.autismcrc.com.au/knowledge‐centre/publications/experiences‐facilitators‐ or‐barriers‐driving‐education‐learner‐and
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