Table of Contents. What is this all about? How do I get my L s? I have my L s, what now? When should I start my driving lessons?

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2 Table of Contents What is this all about? How do I get my L s? I have my L s, what now? What do I need to be competent at? When should I start my driving lessons? Rules for driving with a learner licence What should my supervisor do? About Coastwide Driving School RACQ APPROVED And finally... Page 1

3 What is this all about? Learning to drive is a big deal in anyone s life. It s taking the step from being reliant on others to get around, to enjoying the freedom of being able to head where you want, when you want. And it all starts with the decision to get your learner driver s licence. In Queensland there are a few steps involved and a few things you need to know that will make this process smoother all round for you, and for your family. At Coastwide Driving School we re here to help you reach this important milestone. We share some tips on what you need to get you on your way, and to lay down the foundations for a safer driving future. We re here to help you learn to drive in Queensland, the Coastwide Driving School. Safe driving, for life Page 2

4 How do I get my L s? To obtain Queensland learner driver s licence you must: Be at least 16 years old Have successfully completed a Transport & Main Roads computerised knowledge test on the Queensland road rules at your nearest Transport & Main Roads Customer Service Centre. There is a fee to sit the written test. You do not need to make an appointment to complete the written test. When you go to a Transport & Main Roads Centre to sit your written test, you must supply Proof of Identity and Residency. For more information, visit Transport & Main Roads at This website includes some excellent resources including: Queensland Road Rules practice test Downloadable Your Keys to Driving in Queensland Road rules handbook. Driver Licence Application Form number F3000 Page 3

5 I have my L s, what now? Congratulations! You re now ready to commence your learning journey of supervised hands-on driving. You can learn to drive with anyone who holds a current full driver s licence for at least 12 months, which is appropriate to the car you re driving. However, when it comes to laying down the foundations for a good driving future, we recommend using an Accredited Driver Trainer such as a professional instructor from Coastwide Driving School. When you get your learner licence, you will be issued a Roadtrip to your licence kit. This kit includes a learner logbook. RACQ Learn2go also provides an online logbook that you can use. If you are under 25 you will need to record at least 100 hours of supervised driving in your learner logbook. If you are 25 or older, we recommend you use the logbook, but you can choose if you want to or not. We recommend using the hard copy logbook or downloading the RACQ Learn2go mobile app so you can take it with you on your driving session and record your drive details immediately. You need to record the: date vehicle s number plate starting and ending locations of your drive odometer reading at the start and at the end of your drive your driving supervisor s details name, driver licence number and signature the starting and finishing times for the drive and total minutes spent driving. Logbook entries must be completed in either blue or black ink. If you make an error just neatly cross out the error and both you and the supervisor should initial the entry. You must not use whiteout in your log book. You and your supervisor are responsible for the accuracy of your logbook entries. Each entry must be verified and signed/approved by your supervisor. Page 4

6 Here is a sample of the logbook: source : tmr.qld.gov.au/ If you make a false or misleading entry in your logbook, you can be fined up to $6,600 and you will not be able to take a practical driving test until 6 weeks after the date your resubmitted logbook has been passed. Remember : A learner driver s licence lasts for three years, but must be held for at least 1 year before you can obtain a provisional driver s licence. You must display L plates at all times when driving. Page 5

7 What do I need to be competent at? The driving tasks that you need to be competent with prior to undertaking your practical driving test include the following: stopping use of the vehicle s parking or foot brake when stopped. giving way slow down or stop and give way to vehicles or pedestrians so they do not have to slow down, stop or take action to avoid your vehicle. This also applies to reversing your vehicle. signs, signals and road markings obey all traffic signs, signals and road markings, including any warning and guide signs. moving off, changing direction or lane changing follow this sequence: look in mirrors indicate your intention check the vehicle s blind spot by turning your head check traffic, your road position and speed when beginning to move, check for changed traffic conditions clutch control the clutch so that there is a smooth take-up of power to the drive wheels and smooth gear changing; no clutch coasting. gears demonstrate the correct use of gears appropriate for speed, vehicle and driving conditions. braking drive to avoid harsh or abrupt movement by slowing the vehicle smoothly and progressively. The parking brake is used when the vehicle is stationary. speed do not exceed the speed limit and drive at a speed that suits the road and traffic conditions. observation and scanning be on guard, always looking for traffic hazards and possible problems. Look left, look right, ahead and behind when approaching a hazard, then use a driving system to deal with it in time. mirrors check rear vision mirrors, including both side mirrors, frequently. following vehicles in good conditions, travel at least two seconds behind the vehicle in front of you. Double this gap in poor conditions. marked lanes keep within lane markings. Change lanes only after signaling and if it is safe to do so. road position keep as far left as safe and practical when driving on a road without marked lanes. signalling and indicators give other road users sufficient warning of what you intend to do. Page 6

8 steering always keep control of the steering wheel. Never: put your hands inside the rim of the wheel remove your hands or let the wheel go free hold the wheel with your arms crossed or so that the movement of the wheel is restricted palm the wheel with one hand operate the wheel with the vehicle stationary ( dry steering) manoeuvres (classes C or CA) perform three of the listed manoeuvres (at least one with a reversing component): reverse parking park the vehicle parallel to and within 45cm of the kerb. You can have one attempt with a maximum of two reverse and one forward movements reverse steer a steady course (in an approximately straight line), starting and finishing within 50cm of the kerb. The observation should be predominantly by turning your head and looking through the rear window. turn around within the width of a street, turn the car around with a minimum number of forward and reverse movements. Do not turn the wheel when the vehicle is stopped U-turn give way to all other vehicles and pedestrians and have a clear view of all approaching traffic hill start position the car parallel to and within 50cm of the kerb and move off without rolling backwards. gear-changing in automatic vehicles if you are driving an automatic car, you may be asked to select a lower gear and re-select drive. In Queensland, driving lessons with an Accredited Driver Trainer, and all Coastwide Driving School instructors are Accredited Driver Trainers, up to a maximum of 10 hours count as triple time for logbook hours. You cannot use triple time for your required 10 hours of night driving. Every hour with a driving instructor after 10 hours still will give you a logbook hour without limit for example 15 hours equals 35 logbook hours. You can improve skills through good quality, frequent and relevant driving practice, which will be influenced by your supervising driver. Page 7

9 When should I start my driving lessons? We believe the best approach is for you to take three to five driving lessons soon after obtaining your learner driver s licence. We work with you to provide a strong base for quality practice with other supervising drivers, which is vital for you to obtain your driver s licence using the Queensland Log Book system. This will set solid foundations for ongoing practice with supervising drivers, improve your confidence and establish the right behaviours. The early stages of driving may prove stressful and relationships between parents and learners may become strained. A professional driving instructor has the necessary skills to communicate effectively with you as a learner, adapting to your needs and capability, and to progressively and in a structured way, deliver the curriculum required to become a life-long safe driver. Once the initial lesson block is completed you should be ready for good practice driving. We then suggest a regular driving lesson each month to ensure progressive skill development and further quality practice, which ensures that the experience is a deep, long and wide one. We believe the key to learning safe driving for life is to ensure that the driving experience is longer, wider and deeper. The keys2drive.com.au website summarises this approach: Longer : providing more hours behind the wheel. Wider Deeper : experiencing a greater variety of driving challenges, in all conditions. : gaining a greater understanding of the psychological, emotional and mental challenges involved, and the true responsibility that each driver holds. We also recommend including the free keys2drive driving lesson (funded by the Federal Government) in this initial period, which will provide a facilitated environment to establish goals and clarify skills. On approaching 17 years of age, we suggest you take additional driving lessons to ensure you are competent to take your practical driving test. A practical driving test cannot be taken until you are at least 17 years of age. Page 8

10 Rules for driving with a learner licence When learning to drive you must: have a supervisor beside you someone who has held an open licence for at least 1 year for the class of vehicle you are driving. clearly display L plates at the front and rear of the vehicle. carry your learner licence, or driver licence receipt if you are waiting for your licence, and show it to a police officer if asked. comply with the no alcohol limit. not be affected by drugs either illegal or prescription. obey any conditions on your learner licence, such as only driving with corrective lenses if you have the condition code S. follow all Queensland road rules. Learner speed limits There are no specified reduced speed limits in Queensland for learner or provisional licence holders. You may drive according to the speed limit for the area in which you are driving. Use of mobile phones while driving on your L s All drivers are banned from using a mobile phone that is held in the hand while driving, but if you are under 25, you can t use a mobile phone of any type at any time. This includes hands-free, wireless headsets and speaker phones. Park the vehicle safely before making or taking a call or texting. If you are found using a mobile phone while driving, you will be given a fine and 3 demerit points will be recorded on your traffic history. As a learner driver, if you get 4 or more demerit points in a 12 month period, you will be suspended from driving for 3 months. If you are under 25, your supervisor and passengers can t use a mobile phone on loudspeaker while you are driving. If your supervisor or passengers are found using a mobile phone on loudspeaker while you are driving, they will be given a fine. Page 9

11 Peer passenger restriction If you hold a P1 licence, are under 25, and you are driving between 11pm and 5am you can only carry 1 passenger under the age of 21 who is not an immediate family member. An immediate family member includes a: brother or sister of the driver stepbrother or stepsister of the driver child, stepchild, foster child or ward of the driver spouse (including de facto partner) of the driver stepparent of the driver guardian of the driver approved carer of the driver (if the driver is a child) child, stepchild, foster child or ward of an approved carer of the driver (if the driver is a child) foster child or ward of a parent or stepparent of the driver child, stepchild, foster child or ward of a guardian of the driver spouse (including de facto partner) of a grandparent of the driver. Where to buy L plates You can buy L plates from most service stations, major retailers and automotive outlets. Or, you can make your own if they are the right size and colour. Coastwide Driving School recomends an Australian made system which makes it easier for you to comply with the law. Clip-plate is easy to install and use. Your L plates must be fitted: to the front and rear of the vehicle so the L on each L plate can be clearly seen from 20m away from above and both sides of the car or motorcycle (at a 45 degree angle). You and your supervisor can be fined each if your L plates are not correctly displayed. As the learner, you will also get 2 demerit points. If a person on a provisional or open licence drives the car and does not remove the L plates, they can be fined. The Clip-plate makes it easy to fold away the L plate when it is not required. Page 10

12 What should my supervisor do? Ask your Supervisor to read the Supervising Drivers booklets provided by Transport & Main Roads and also review the learners log book to see progress and the Coastwide driving instructor notes. Book a Keys2drive free session and have the accredited driving instructor focus on their role as a supervising driver. Invite your Supervisor to attend at least one driving lesson and also to speak to or message the instructor about any concerns or to seek advice. Page 11

13 About Coastwide Driving School RACQ APPROVED If you want to learn to drive in Brisbane or the Gold Coast then Coastwide Driving School is the best place to start. We have over 50 years of experience teaching Queenslanders to drive and we are proudly teaching the third generation of many families. If you want to learn to drive and have your L s and looking for a driving school before you sit your driving test, Coastwide Driving School instructors can help. We offer driving lessons for learner drivers at any stage of the driver s licence process - any age and any level of driving ability. Professional driving lessons with us can add up to 30 hours in your log book. Our motto is safe driving, for life, not just the life long safe driving skills but also to preserve lives on the road through reduced fatalities from safer driving habits. We don t just say it, we live it! 10 reasons why Coastwide Driving School is the right choice for you 1. Our driving lessons give you skills to become a better driver for life. 2. Our driving instructors are highly qualified friendly professionals, subjected to stringent quality control and undertake ongoing professional development. 3. We use quality 5 star safety rated vehicles with dual controls for maximum safety during driving lessons. 4. We work with you to ensure that quality practice supplements our professional lessons thereby minimising lesson hours and maximising driving competencies. 5. You can book your driving lessons online or through our Queensland based booking office, and pay online, over the phone, in car or by EFT. 6. We are flexible with start and end locations which can include home, school, work or other locations within the same area as your primary residence. 7. We don t stop at driving lessons. We provide a useful regular newsletter and post licence training including the nationally recognised Defensive Driving certificate course. 8. Our prices represent excellent value for money and we do not charge a surcharge for weekend and public holiday appointments or for tests or final drives. Our package deals and specials save you money. Our interest free installment plan package eases cash flow pressure. 9. Our team engage with you and that commences from the first enquiry. So call us on and let us start helping you and your family with safe driving, for life. 10. Our Driving Instructors are experts in keys2drive free driving lesson, Drivers Licence test preparation and international students. Their vast experience combined with a real and passionate commitment to reducing the loss of life on our roads, and especially the young driver whom represent the highest risk category, provides parents and grandparents with a caring, supportive and uncompromising driver education option. Page 12

14 And finally... At Coastwide Driving School we realise that every learner driver is different. Different in confidence levels, different in ability, and different in the amount of access to practice you have available. We recommend that you speak with us to assess your progress, set up a suggested driving lesson plan and timing. Remember, learning to drive should not be a cramming exercise before a test. Take your time to work through these steps and you ll be on your way to a safer driving future. We look forward to helping you learn to drive in Queensland, the Coastwide Driving School way. Safe driving, for life. Phone : Online : info@coastwidedriving.com.au facebook : facebook.com/coastwidedriving Page 13