What is the difference between driver education and learner driver training?

• Helping young drivers get their licence information to support students get their licence
• Which car do you want your year 11 or year 12 child driving? (nsw.gov.au)
• Getting a NSW driver licence | Service NSW
• Transport for NSW - Younger drivers

Advice about using advanced driver training programs at school

NSW public schools have been advised not to offer advanced driver training courses such as:

• go-cart and race club driving
• driving on off-road tracks and skid pans
• defensive driving courses.

Transport for NSW states they have little or no positive effect on improving road user behaviour for young people learning to drive. In fact, they can lead to an increase in risky behaviours due to overconfidence.

Learning about traffic laws, driving simulators, wearing fatal vision goggles (beer goggles) also have no real impact on changing or improving young people's behaviours. They are not relevant to the curriculum and therefore not recommended.

The best place for learner drivers to achieve basic driving skills is in the real traffic environment in a real motor vehicle under the supervision of an experienced driver or instructor.

Transport for NSW has developed the Safer Drivers Course as a best practice model for learner drivers in NSW.

Consideration of learner driver training program implementation

This information is only for high schools that have identified a student and community need to support learner drivers in obtaining their driver’s licence as outlined in the department's current driver training implementation guidelines.

The guidelines have been revised in the Road safety education procedures with implementation term 1 2025.

Principals approve the implementation of a learner driver training program and must ensure these learner driver training implementation procedures are followed.

Schools that offer learner driver training must:

• ensure instructors hold a NSW Driving Instructor's Licence under the Driving Instructors Act 1992
• abide by the Driving Instructors Regulation 2016
• support licensed learner drivers to obtain their 120 hours of on-road driving as part of the Graduated Licensing Scheme (refer to Getting your driver licence)
• only provide the training to students who hold a NSW Learner driver licence
• be scheduled to operate outside regular school hours (as documented by the school timetable)
• use a duplicate-controlled motor vehicle
• use a car with comprehensive motor vehicle insurance
• be at no cost to students.
• comply with the conditions outlined in the Learner driver training program implementation checklist

Principals should contact Legal Services to discuss any local school issues before commencing.