• Statistically, learner drivers have few accidents and having a supervising driver with you is key to this.
• The more you practise, the safer you’ll be on the roads.
• If you’re under 21, you need a minimum of 120 hours of supervised practice logged to test for your P’s.
• Driving in all conditions as a learner will help make you safer once you’re driving on your own.
• P plate drivers have a higher incidence of crashes than other drivers; getting quality driving experience can help to reduce the risks.

Learning to be a safe driver involves a few steps. The first step is to understand your role and responsibilities as a driver by reading the handbook and passing the learner permit test.

There's more to driving than just knowing roads rules and controlling the car. You need to know how to drive safely in many conditions and situations.

It’s important as a learner to start with simple driving and move to more complex driving situations as you gain experience.

You can learn more about the stages of learning to drive on the myLearners website .

Learn more about the process of getting your learner’s permit on the VicRoads website.

Practice in all conditions is essential when learning driving skills. It is vital that you learn to drive in all conditions  to become a competent and safe driver.

• Log your hours – under the rules of Victoria's Graduated Licensing System all drivers under 21 on their L plates must log their hours detailing 120 hours of driving. Learners and their instructors can log hours via the myLearners app. Find out more about the app on the VicRoads website
• Always drive with a licenced driver beside you
• Practice regularly, at least an hour a week
• Drive in all conditions – city traffic, dirt roads, quiet times, night time and during the day

If you don’t have someone available to be a supervising driver you may be eligible for the TAC L2P program. The TAC L2P program is free for eligible young people aged 16-21 years. The young learners are matched with fully licensed volunteer mentors and have access to a sponsored vehicle, which they can use to get supervised driving experience. Find out more on the Transport Victoria website

• Get familiar with your vehicle – spend some time in the car before you start to drive. Learn how to adjust the seat and steering wheel height, along with the mirrors. Check that you understand the display and where important levers such as lights and windscreen wipers are.
• Take your time – it takes time to learn to drive safely, and it won’t happen overnight.
• Find somewhere quiet - Start driving practice away from traffic and possible hazards. Get rid of any distractions that make it hard to concentrate. Practice taking off, stopping, smooth gear control and braking. Keep practising until the basics feel natural and smooth, then move on to more demanding tasks such as using all mirrors, stopping the car in a specified place, hill starts and parking.
• Keep it short – for a start it’s best to keep sessions short. This will help you get on top of the basics and set you up for success on longer journeys.
• Get extra help – it’s a great idea to get some professional lessons, these will help you gain more confidence when driving.
• Learning to drive happens in stages – it’s best not  Take your time and slowly build up the challenge level of your driving to match your experience. Start with short trips (10-20 minutes) and when you’re ready build to longer sessions (30-60 minutes). Start during quieter traffic times and gradually build up to busier periods.
• Make regular trips - once you feel confident, drive on regular trips - to school, sport and visiting friends. This will make certain routes more familiar and help you to move onto more complex situations.
• Keep learning all the time - Learn about the skills involved in driving such as judging stopping distances, anticipating the actions of other road users, choosing the right speed for conditions and managing any aggression from other drivers.
• Drive in all conditions – this includes rainy weather, at dawn and dusk, and at night. Make sure that you get experience with city and regional driving so that you’ve had a chance to practice on all types of roads. Find out more about safe driving