Drive Smart and all other South Australian car driving instructors have been directed under the Emergency Management Act to suspend all in-car driver training and assessment services for the issue of a car licence effective from Friday 10 April 2020. This means no more driving lessons, Tests (VORT) or Assessments (CBT&A Logbook) with a driving instructor. This new Direction is upon advice of the Chief Public Health Officer, and provides greater protection of South Australians, in line … [Read more...]
Is Logbook (CBT&A) right for you?
South Australian learner drivers get their P Plates by either the CBT&A (Logbook) or the VORT Test method. What does all this mean and which method is right for you? That is the question In this article we look at what most people call the Logbook method or CBT&A Course. The CBT&A course is made up of thirty (30) separate tasks. These tasks are detailed in the yellow section of your Driver's Companion. Starting with basic skills and working through to country road driving … [Read more...]
Teach Your Learner Driver Enough
When teaching your learner to drive, there is no such thing as too much. Once your learner has their P Plates, all you can do is pray you did enough! If you have a young driver in your life, think ahead to when they are driving on their own. Imagine waiting for them to come home. Perhaps it has been raining for a few hours and they are an hour late. What will you be thinking? What questions will you be asking yourself? Will you be wishing you had done more? Peace-of-mind investment How … [Read more...]
Learner Drivers And Speed Control
Most learner drivers have one thing in common. At some stage or other, they struggle with speed control. Parents, family, friends and driving instructors have a major role to play when it comes to teaching speed control. Huge damage can be done if we get the message wrong! Being patient is the secret! We must not put our need to hurry and our 'always running late' stresses onto our learner drivers. Nine tips for teaching speed control Good speed control is something most new drivers … [Read more...]
Safe Drivers Look Ahead
Over the years we have learned that many experienced drivers do not look ahead as far as they should. Defensive Driving Instructors sit beside many experienced drivers. We watch people drive then help them develop safer habits. The main 'poor habit' we notice is lack of observation. Drivers just don't look around and they definitely don't look far enough ahead. This is not about staring down the road and looking nowhere else. It is about developing good observation habits. Learning to … [Read more...]
Teaching Your Kids To Drive
Teaching your kids to drive is the best gift you can give yourself this Christmas. In fact it is the best gift you can give any time. This gift lasts a life time. It promises peace of mind for you and your kids. Not kids any more You need to understand that if your son or daughter is learning to drive, they are not kids any more. Driving on the road needs very adult decision making skills. Treat them like the young adults they are. Make teaching your kids to drive fun Learning has to be fun. … [Read more...]
Can Learner Drivers Tow Trailers?
Learner and P plate drivers can tow trailers in South Australia. South Australian P Plate and Learner drivers can tow any trailer that is legally permitted for the car they are driving. Towing a trailer requires extra skills, planning and thought. There is much to learn including loading the trailer, reversing, managing the extra weight, checking and adjusting the brakes if fitted. Your Supervisor can teach you these and other towing must knows. Tyre pressures are critical. How the … [Read more...]
Autism Spectrum Drivers – Great Drivers
Autism Spectrum drivers make great drivers. You just need to spend enough time and energy teaching them to drive. Many need about three times as much support at drivers not 'on the spectrum'. An Autistic learner driver must learn everything to do, everything not to do then learn that no-one else will drive that way. One of the biggest challenges is learning to cope with other drivers doing the wrong thing. This can be over come with the right support and training. Once it is understood that … [Read more...]
Five bad habits learner drivers inherit # 3
This is the third in our series of bad habits that parents pass on to their future young drivers. Speeding Bad Habit: Many drivers consider that driving at three to five or so kilometres over the limit is quite acceptable. Amazingly, there are drivers who are still unsure what the speed limits are. Good habits Drive slower than most people do, you'll get there just the same with less stress and using less fuel. One to two kilometres below the limit is much better than two or three … [Read more...]
Merging Rules in South Australia
Merging Road Rules There are two types of merging situations. Zip Merge and Lane End Merge. Look for lines marked on the road to tell the difference. Lane End Merge. Crossing a dotted lane end line Car B is crossing a dotted "lane end" so must give way, waiting for car A to pass. Car B must also signal because they are preparing to leave their lane. Zip Merge. No lines to cross, two lines of traffic coming together. The … [Read more...]
