Learning to drive in four stages in Victoria

By the end of this topic you can

• You can name the four stages and what each one is for.
• You can explain how you know you are ready to move on to the next stage.
• You can plan regular practice that adds up to at least 120 hours.
• You can describe the steps from learner permit to probationary licence in Victoria.

What you need to know and understand

• Stage 1 is car control away from traffic; Stage 2 is quiet, low speed streets; Stage 3 is busier roads and harder conditions; Stage 4 is rehearsing solo driving.
• If you are under 21 when you go for your Ps, you need at least 120 hours of supervised driving, including at least 20 hours at night.
• You record hours in the myLearners app or the official Learner Log Book and declare them before the drive test.
• An incomplete or incorrect log means losing your booking and test fees, and the Learner Kit warns that a wait of up to six weeks could apply.
• Your supervising driver must hold a full (not probationary) car licence and have a blood alcohol concentration under 0.05.
• You must pass the computer-based Hazard Perception Test before the on-road drive test.

How the four stages fit together

Stage 1 is the shortest; Stage 4 often takes longest because it covers every type of road, weather and traffic. Later stages depend on earlier ones, and basics such as parking and three-point turns need practice right through, as they can come up in your drive test.

Move on when you and your supervisor agree you can do every goal on the stage list, and from Stage 2 onwards that means in fine weather, rain and at night. An instructor can help you judge.

Setting up before your first drive

Run through this checklist with your supervising driver before your first session:

• You have a current learner permit and know the Road to Solo Driving handbook.
• L plates are on the front and back of the car and can be seen from 20 metres.
• If you want a manual licence, you practise in a manual car.
• The car insurance covers a learner driver.
• Before every session, check tyres (tread and pressure), lights and indicators, wipers, washers, horn and brakes.

Making 120 hours work for you

Victoria chose 120 hours because learners with close to that much experience crash far less once solo than those with around 50 hours. Over two years on Ls, that is a little over an hour a week, and your permit lasts 10 years, so there is no rush.

Log every drive as you go and use the log to spot gaps, such as too little night or wet driving. Instructor time can count towards your hours, but lessons never replace practice with your supervisor.

A partnership, not a passenger

Pick a supervisor who drives safely and who you get along with. Plan routes together and talk about each drive afterwards. Stress is normal: if one of you gets upset, pull over safely and take a break, or try again another day. If conditions get beyond you, swap seats.

Once you have finished the stages and logged your hours, you pass the Hazard Perception Test, then the drive test. Under 21, you start on red P1 plates; at 21 or over you go straight to green P2 plates.

Common mistakes

• Rushing into busy traffic before the Stage 1 and 2 goals are solid. Tick off every goal first.
• Leaving night and wet weather driving until the end. Add it gradually from Stage 2 so it is not crammed in.
• Filling in the log from memory weeks later. Record each drive straight away.
• Dropping basic manoeuvres once you can drive in traffic. Keep practising parking and turns in every stage.

Test yourself: Learning to drive in four stages in Victoria

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.