An NRMA Safer Driving School survey has revealed that supervisors – parents, friends or relatives – need to do more preparation before teaching learners to drive.

A survey of 413 supervisors has revealed that only 52 per cent read the RTA learners’ kit and only 37 per cent read the road rules before supervising a learner driver.

NRMA Group CEO Tony Stuart said supervisors should prepare for teaching just as much as learner drivers should prepare for learning.

“Learner drivers need to be taught properly from the start otherwise they may develop bad habits,” Mr Stuart said.

The survey also revealed that just over half of supervisors (51 per cent), thought their experience teaching a learner driver could have been better. They said relationships could be strained by the experience.

Mr Stuart said supervisors who want to have a better driving experience with their learners should take advantage of a keys2drive session. Keys2drive is a free driving session that seats the supervisor and learner in a car with an accredited instructor.

“A free keys2drive lesson provides supervisors with a practical coaching approach they can use with their learner and focuses on teaching young drivers to reflect on what they are doing behind the wheel.”

Supervised learner drivers are some of the safest drivers on the road. But P1 drivers are among the most unsafe – about four times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than a driver aged 26 or older.

Are parents good driving teachers? Do you read up on the road rules before supervising a learner?