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Driving conversations for safer young learners

Helping someone learn to drive isn’t always straightforward, especially when you’re doing it without any training or support. That’s why we travelled across Tasmania to hear directly from parents, grandparents, mentors and instructors about the challenges they face.

What we did

Recently we set out to listen to what our community had to say about Youth Road Safety. For many, supervising a learner is unfamiliar and stressful—it may have been decades since they learned to drive themselves, and there’s currently no training or guidance to prepare them for the role.

“Other than raising a decent human being as a parent, the two things you've got to teach them is how to swim and how to drive safely, because they're going to be biggest life changing events for them”

Dad, Hobart

We travelled the state talking to over 60 people in communities from Hobart, Launceston, Wynyard, Deloraine and Burnie. We spoke to those who guide young drivers including parents, grandparents, volunteer mentors, and professional instructors. We’ve gained valuable insights into the challenges of teaching young people to drive. Learner driver supervisors are currently left to face this alone, without any support.

What we heard

Our focus groups revealed that while this experience can be deeply rewarding, it often comes with stress, uncertainty, and a lot of making it up as you go.

While safety was universally viewed by learner supervisors as important, it wasn’t always consistently taught. Some supervisors struggled with knowledge gaps in key areas like updated road rules, managing fatigue, or navigating Tasmania’s unique regional and weather-related hazards.

“A lot of employers won't employ them because they can't get to their destination and things like that"

Driver Mentor, Burnie

These issues were especially challenging for families already facing barriers such as the high cost of driving lessons, time constraints, or a lack of access to suitable mentors.

The themes

Six clear themes emerged when we analysed over 8 hours of recordings and interviews:

  • Teaching and Learning Together

    Supervising a learner driver is emotional and based on relationships. Most people learn how to do it as they go.

  • Every Learner is Different

    There’s no single way to teach. Supervisors adjust based on each learner’s personality, needs, and confidence.

  • Building Confidence Safely

    Learner drivers often switch between feeling very nervous and becoming overly confident.

  • Teaching Safety on the Road

    Everyone cared about safety, but the way it was taught varied a lot and often felt made up on the spot.

  • Bigger Picture Challenges

    Things like family stress, location, and money made it easier or harder for people on the learner journey.

  • Feeling Unprepared

    Most supervisors didn’t get any training or support. They wanted support tools to help them on their journey.

The main message was clear: more support is needed. Participants called for clearer guidance, supervisor training, and co-designed resources that reflect the realities of modern driving.

What we're going to do

To help young people learning to drive, we're taking action to make the journey safer, more supportive, and less stressful for everyone involved.

"I really would have liked to have gone out with an instructor, and they teach me exactly like they would teach a brand-new student, so I was equipped and ready."

Mum, Hobart

We’ll be working closely with young people themselves, parents, experts, volunteers, professional instructors to build support tools that meet the needs of our community. You can stay up to date with the project by signing up for our updates here.