Licence offences and consequencesFailure to comply with the P1 licence rules can result in a range of penalties, including fines, demerit points and even the loss of your licence. Show
Demerit pointsDemerit points apply to P1 drivers. Your P1 licence will be suspended or refused if you reach or exceed 4 demerit points in a 3-year period. Speeding offencesIf you drive above the speed limit, you will exceed your demerit point limit and your P1 licence will be suspended for at least 3 months. If you're caught by police while driving more than 30km/h over the speed limit, they can suspend your licence immediately. If your licence is suspendedAny period that your licence is suspended is not counted towards the 12 months you need to accumulate on your P1 licence. If your licence is disqualifiedIf a court disqualifies you from driving while you're on your P1 licence, your licence will be cancelled immediately. When the disqualification period ends, you will have to apply for a new P1 licence. The time you've accumulated on your red Ps will be lost. You will have to complete the full 12 months again before you can apply for your green Ps. Passenger conditions after disqualification If your P1 licence has been disqualified for any driving offence committed on or after 11 July 2005, you must not carry more than one passenger for 12 months once you regain your licence. This is known as the 'one passenger condition'. An exemption from the one passenger conditionwill only be granted in exceptional circumstances. Any exemption will be limited to specific circumstances and may also be limited to certain vehicles. You must notify Transport for NSW within 14 days if the circumstances that affect your exemption have changed. This may include you no longer requiring the exemption, or if your exemption letter needs to be replaced. A further fee may apply. Liquor Act offencesIt's an offence to use false documents to get into a licensed premises or to buy alcohol. If you're convicted of doing this while you're on your red Ps, you'll need to hold your P1 licence for an extra 6 months (18 months in total). What's next after red Ps?After you've been on your red Ps for 12 months, you can apply for your green Ps (the provisional P2 licence), the next licence stage. Your P1 licence is valid for 18 months, if you don't apply for your green Ps during that time. You need to hold your P2 licence (your green Ps) for at least 2 years before you can hold a full licence. Got your L's? You can start learning to drive, but under special L-rules and conditions. Follow the rules and you're cool. Don't, and you'll get a fine, demerit points or lose your permit (be disqualified). With your L's you'll get a book called The Driving Companion. It's all in there - compulsory driving hours, choosing a qualified supervising driver or a motor driving instructor, how to get your P1 licence... so get your head around the lot. How you learn to drive is critical. The smart way? Getting heaps of practice with friends or family (who meet the requirements for a Qualified Supervising Driver) is a common approach. Compulsory driving hours You'll need to complete at least 75 hours of supervised driving including a minimum 15 hours at night. You'll need driving experience in a variety of different conditions. Try driving in different;
Heads up! Start practising on quiet streets and, as you get better, try harder conditions but, only when you're comfortable controlling your car. Try a new condition at a time, and take time to get used it. Develop a system for each driving lesson. Car keys, L-plates on, learner's permit, and log book. Qualified
Supervising Drivers They also have to verify your driving hours in your log book in The Driving Companion, and may also be asked to confirm their supervision of your driving. Qualified Supervising Drivers can be anyone like a parent, friend or relative, but they must meet these legal requirements:
* A person who has previously been subject to a Good Behaviour Condition within the past two years can act as a Qualified Supervising Driver if they held a full licence during that time, as long as they are not currently subject to that condition. A person who holds a foreign licence can be your qualified supervising driver, provided that they meet the above conditions, their licence is issued by a country recognised by South Australia and their licence is written in English or has an English translation. Heads up! Motor driving instructors Learning to drive safely Drivers must watch what's happening around them and make lots of decisions. The more time you have to decide, and the more you practice, the more your driving will improve. Driving defensively helps you anticipate trouble before it happens, so check out the competency-based training program in The Driving Companion. Heads up! Before you start the car, do this mental checklist:
Important driving rules you must know and follow. Learner's permit conditions and laws
Other laws
Breaking the rules If you do not comply with these rules and conditions you may be fined, incur demerit points, be disqualified from driving, have your permit cancelled and hold a learner's permit for a longer period. GPS A learner or Provisional 1 driver is permitted to use a Navigational System (GPS), provided:
If the navigational system does not meet either of these requirements then it cannot be used whilst driving. Read more: Driving laws, offences and penalties
The Driving Companion booklet contains the log book to record your compulsory driving hours and you'll get a copy with your learner's permit. The Driving Companion includes:
Using the log book If you have evidence you've held an interstate learner's permit your Qualified Supervising Driver may include that previous driving experience in your log book. When you apply for your Provisional Licence your log book hours must be handed to Service SA staff along with your Certificate of Competency. If you choose the Competency Based Training and Assessment method you will also have to hand in your Task Assessment Sheets. Heavy penalties apply for deliberately providing false information, so please complete your Driving Companion correctly. If you lose your Driving Companion, grab another from a Service SA customer service centre. A $5 fee applies for replacement books. Want your previous experience recorded in your replacement log book? Your qualified supervising driver will have to re-enter it and sign it.
Electronic learner log book appsInformation for learner driversYou may choose to utilise a phone app to record your logged driving hours instead of manually recording these in your Driving Companion. To ensure that electronically logged hours are accepted you should check that the app you are using offers a print out which includes the same information recorded in the paper version. Any printouts of logged hours which do not include the following cannot be accepted:
The printouts should also separate daytime driving hours and night time driving hours. If the app you use does not allow you to print off a declaration such as the one found in the Driving Companion then you will need to complete this page from the driving companion and present it with your printout of your logged hours. It should be noted that any apps which do log a person’s driving hours are not developed or endorsed by the Registrar and are utilised at the risk of the user. You should be aware of any privacy policies or terms and conditions of your chosen app as the Registrar is not responsible for what an app developer chooses to do with any personal information required to be entered in to the app. Information for app developersIf you have developed an app or are in the process of developing one which allows a learner driver to record their driving hours electronically through their phone you must ensure that it is clear there is no association between your app, or company and the Department in any way. You are not permitted to reference the Department nor are you permitted to use any department or government logos i.e. the Piping Shrike. In order for the hours logged through your app to be accepted by the Registrar your app will need to have capabilities to print out the users logged hours which at a minimum must include the following:
The printouts should also separate daytime driving hours and night time driving hours. We also ask that you include privacy policies and terms and conditions, where you clearly communicate how you will use the information entered into the app by the learner driver and who may have access to that information. You should also mention any back up features your app has for data which may be lost by the learner driver due to app crashes, updates to the app, changing phones etc. Driving with a learner's permit means you need L-plates on the vehicle so drivers know you are an inexperienced driver. L-plates must meet the following requirements;
You can buy L-plates at Service SA customer service centres, the Service SA online shop or various retail outlets. Heads up! Before you can get your P1 licence you'll need to:
You can get your P1 licence by: Option 1 :
Passing a practical driving test called the Vehicle On Road Test (VORT). You'll need to book with a motor driving instructor who has a VORT licence at least three days ahead and pay their fee. Heads up! Both options are explained in The Driving Companion. After you've chosen which option suits you, completed the requirements and gained your certificate of competency, you can apply for your P1 provisional licence. Passed? You can to go to a Service SA customer service centre, with your:
We'll give you a temporary P1 provisional driver's licence, valid for one month while your photo card is being produced. Your P1 photo licence will be posted to you and is issued for three years. The licence will automatically convert to a P2 licence after 12 months, provided you don't breach your provisional licence conditions. Heads up! Programs to help get your P’s
Can learner drivers have passengers act?How many passengers can I carry in the ACT? P1 licence holders in the ACT are allowed to drive with only one passenger between 11pm and 5am, unless it is a family member or required for work or education. Learner and P2 licence holders can carry up to the passenger capacity of the vehicle they are driving.
Who can sit next to a learner driver?You can practise driving with family or friends. Anyone you practise your driving with (without paying them) must: be over 21. be qualified to drive the type of vehicle you want to learn in, for example they must have a manual car licence if they're supervising you in a manual car.
Can learners have passengers Vic?Maximum speed limit: 90 km/h (L and P1) or 100 km/h (P2). Passenger limit: P1 drivers under 25 can't drive with more than one passenger under 21 between the hours of 11pm and 5am (immediate family members exempt). Mobile phone: Can't be used at all. Towing: Not permitted (L), or up to 250kg (P1).
Can learner drivers have passengers Qld?Peer passenger restrictions apply to young novice drivers—P1 provisional licence holders under 25 years of age can only carry 1 passenger aged under 21 years between 11pm and 5am. High-powered vehicles are restricted for provisional drivers under 25 years of age.
|