DRIVER AWARENESS COURSE

Q What is the Driver Awareness Course?

A If a driver incurs demerit points (without disqualification) they can still progress to P2 after 12 months by satisfactorily completing the Driver Awareness Course and then passing the Hazard Perception Test.

The Driver Awareness Course covers the common elements known to be associated with new drivers being involved in a road crash - poor hazard perception, over confidence and risky behaviour. Participants are educated about the risks and shown practical ways to avoid them.

The course involves both theory and practical components over a total duration of eight hours.

For safety reasons, holders of a motorcycle licence are exempt from the practical component of this course. Motorcyclists are exposed to similar scenarios during the Rider Safe course.

DRIVER AWARENESS COURSE

Q When can I do the Driver Awareness Course?

A You can undertake the Driver Awareness Course when you have held your P1 licence for 12 months or more.

DRIVER AWARENESS COURSE

Q Where can I do the Driver Awareness Course? Is there a fee?

A The approved provider of the Driver Awareness Course is:

Roadsafe Australia Pty Ltd

3 Frederick Road, Royal Park SA 5014

Telephone: 8241 1877

A fee is payable prior to commencement.

DRIVER AWARENESS COURSE

Q What if I don't want to do the Driver Awareness Course?

A If demerit point(s) were gained within the first 12 months of holding your P1 licence (without disqualification), you can complete a 12-month period demerit free from the last offence date and then proceed to P2 after successfully completing the Hazard Perception Test.

If demerit point(s) were gained after you have held the P1 licence for longer than 12 months (without disqualification), you must remain on the P1 licence for two years from licence issue and pass the Hazard Perception Test before progressing to a P2 licence.

DRIVER AWARENESS COURSE

Q If my P1 licence is disqualified, can I still do the Driver Awareness Course?

A You can complete the Driver Awareness Course to improve your driving skills but it will not allow you to progress to a P2 licence early.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q What is the Hazard Perception Test?

A The Hazard Perception Test is a computer-based test showing real life filmed driving scenes. Drivers respond to each scene by touching the computer screen (or not touching), to indicate when it is safe (or not safe) to drive or to choose an appropriate action to prevent a crash.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q Who needs to take the Hazard Perception Test?

A Drivers wishing to progress from a P1 to P2 provisional licence will need to pass the Hazard Perception Test.

If you live outside a 100-kilometre radius from a Customer Service Centre or are a Kangaroo Island resident you do not need to take the Hazard Perception Test.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q When can I take the Hazard Perception Test to progress from a P1 to P2 licence?

A You can attempt the Hazard Perception Test if:

• You have held a current P1 provisional licence for at least 12 continuous months before the date you wish to take the HPT, and have not incurred any demerit points during this time. This 12 month period must not include any licence disqualifications or cancellations;
• You have held a current P1 provisional licence for at least 12 continuous months before the date you wish to take the test, have incurred one, two or three demerit points during this time, but have passed the Driver Awareness Course. The 12 month period must not include any licence disqualifications or cancellations.
• You have held a P1 provisional licence for at least two years. Any licence disqualifications or cancellations cannot be included as part of the two year period.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q Is there a fee to take the Hazard Perception Test?

A A fee of $25.00 is payable each time the test is attempted.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q How long will it take to complete the Hazard Perception Test?

A The Hazard Perception Test would normally take between 20 and 30 minutes to complete.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q Where can I take the Hazard Perception Test?

A You can undertake the Hazard Perception Test on a computer at a Customer Service Centre between the hours of 9:00am and 4:00pm, Monday to Friday.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q. Why do P1 drivers need to take the Hazard Perception Test after 12 months of unsupervised driving?

A The aim of the Hazard Perception Test is to ensure P1 drivers have enough hazard perception skills to progress to a P2 licence - where they will no longer be required to display a P-plate when driving.

Learner's Permit drivers have a qualified supervising driver who assists and encourages them to identify traffic hazards and to react appropriately.

When the driver gets to P1, they will need to rely on their own judgement in hazard perception, at the same time as acquiring other abilities such as driving solo at speeds up to 100 km/h.
These skills take time to develop.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q Can I attempt the Hazard Perception Test before being eligible to progress to a P2 licence?

A No. You may make an appointment at any time but you cannot actually attempt the Hazard Perception Test until you are eligible.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q How can I do the test if I do not speak English very well?

A The Hazard Perception Test is available in the following languages: English, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Croatian, Greek, Korean, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. An interpreter can be arranged to translate for other languages.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q How will I do the Hazard Perception Test if I can't use a computer?

A The Hazard Perception Test does not require a person to have computer skills. All instructions are provided on the screen. The driver only needs to touch the screen with their finger to respond to test instructions and questions.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q I live in a remote area. Do I have to pass the Hazard Perception Test ?

A Drivers residing outside a 100km radius from a testing centre will not need to pass the Hazard Perception Test to gain a P2 licence.

Kangaroo Island residents are also not required to undertake the Hazard Perception Test.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q What happens if I don't pass the Hazard Perception Test?

A If you don’t pass the Hazard Perception Test, you can continue driving on your P1 licence, however you must pass the Hazard Perception Test before progressing to a P2 licence.

You can attempt the test again as soon as the next booking timeslot is available at a Customer Service Centre.

HAZARD PERCEPTION TEST

Q. Why are people who don't pass the Hazard Perception Test allowed to continue driving?

A The practical driving test and the competency based logbook assesses the practical driving ability of Learner's Permit drivers to graduate to a P1 licence, not a full unrestricted licence.

These assessments recognise that a Provisional Licence driver is capable of driving solo, but under certain restrictions and under the expectation that further learning and driving experience will be gained to enable the driver to graduate from P1 to P2 and eventually a full licence. The Hazard Perception Test is part of this transition process.

If a P1 driver does not pass the Hazard Perception Test, it does not mean they are not good drivers, as they have still passed the test to get a P1 licence.

What it does mean, is that they are still capable of solo driving under the licence conditions of P1, but that they must remain on P1 until they demonstrate sufficient hazard perception skills to pass the Hazard Perception Test to graduate to P2.

Some drivers may pass the Hazard Perception Test after one year on P1, but others may not pass it until they have had two or more years on P1.

LEARNERS

Q What is the logbook and 50 hours supervised driving requirement?

A Driver's obtaining a Learner's Permit after 31 October 2005 are required to complete a logbook demonstrating they have completed at least 50 hours driving with a qualified supervising driver under a range of conditions, including a minimum 10 hours at night.

Motorcycle learners complete the Advanced Ridersafe Course and therefore are not required to complete the logbook.

The logbook is contained in the Driver's Companion booklet issued to Learner's Permit drivers.

LEARNERS

Q What is a Qualified Supervising Driver?

A A Learner's Permit driver must be supervised whilst driving by a Qualified Supervising Driver.
A Qualified Supervising Driver (QSD) must have held an unconditional/full licence for the last two-years* without disqualification.
The driver cannot hold a provisional or probationary licence or be subject to the condition of 'Good Behaviour'.
The QSD must not have a Blood Alcohol Reading of more than 0.05.
*Two-year period must be continuous without lapse - excluding any period of expiry. - licence renewals must occur within 3 months of expiry to be eligible.

LEARNERS

Q Can time spent learning with a Driving Instructor count towards the 50 hours of supervised driving?

A Yes it can.

LOGBOOK

Q What is the logbook?

A The logbook is contained in the Driver’s Companion booklet issued to Learner's Permit drivers.

The initial logbook will be provided free. However any replacement will cost $5.00.

LOGBOOK

Q What happens if I lose my logbook?

A A new logbook will have to be purchased and you will need to record your driving experience again and have it certified by the qualified supervising driver/s.

LOGBOOK

Q How will the department know if the hours recorded in the logbook are real?

A The logbook will record dates, start and finish times, travel times, distances, vehicle registration numbers, odometer readings, type of road conditions, as well as the qualified supervising driver's name, phone number and driver's licence number. Random auditing of logbooks will be undertaken to ensure compliance.

MOTORCYCLES

Q How will the requirements to maintain a logbook, undertake a Hazard Perception Test or Driver Awareness Course affect Motorcycle riders?

A Motorcycle Learners complete the Advanced Ridersafe Course and therefore are not required to complete the logbook.

Any P1 rider or driver wishing to progress to a P2 licence will need to pass the Hazard Perception Test, irrespective of the class of licence they hold.

Motorcycle riders are required to complete the Driver Awareness Course but are exempt from the practical component.

PENALTIES

Q When would I receive a curfew condition?

A A curfew condition may be applied to your licence conditions if you are disqualified after committing a serious offence, such as:

• One offence that incurs four or more demerit points;
• Two or more speeding offences that each incurs three or more demerit points;
• A red light offence and a speeding offence resulting from the same incident.
• Any demerit offence committed after a previous disqualification.

PENALTIES

Q Will the curfew condition appear on the licence?

A Yes. It will appear on the back of your licence as "Night Time Curfew until dd/mm/yy" and on our computer system. Police also have access to this system.

PROVISIONAL

Q How will I know when I can graduate to a P2 licence?

A The expiry date on your provisional licence will indicate the minimum combined period you will be required to hold a P1 and P2 licence. You can ask any Customer Service Centre to tell you the earliest date that you may progress to a P2 licence. This will generally be 12 months after the date of issue of the P1 licence.

PROVISIONAL

Q How will my licence show whether I have an existing provisional licence, a P1 licence or a P2 licence?

A As the conditions of the existing provisional licence and a P1 licence are the same, the photo licence issued will be the same.

When you graduate to a P2 licence, a printed condition will be placed on the photo card to indicate that you are now entitled to P2 licence conditions - P Plates not required.

PROVISIONAL

Q How will police know that a driver is a P2 licence holder if they are not required to display P-Plates?

A P2 provisional driver asked to produce their licence to police will be readily identifiable as the phrase "P2 - P plates not required"- will be printed in the condition code area on the back of their licence.