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Can You Book Driving Lessons During COVID-19?

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Confusion has reigned over driving lessons since Victorian police issued a fine to a 17 year old learner-driver in early April 2020. And then withdrew it a few days later. What’s going on with the rules and restrictions? The big question is: Can L-platers still have driving lessons during COVID?

Now, as states and territories are mostly easing restrictions you might be wondering how that affects you and your driving-age teens. Or, you might be a later-in-life learner keen to know when you can secure your road-bound freedom.

Read on…

Learning to Drive During the Pandemic: Yes or No?

The ease in restrictions is now seeing most areas of Australia open up their travel rules to allow recreational travel. Fortunately for learners, that includes attending driving lessons and driving practice.

In almost all jurisdictions (at the time of writing), residents are now able to travel anywhere they want within their state/territory and even interstate. For whatever reason. Yay! It’s good news for driving lessons during COVID, which should be able to continue without problems in most areas.

Depending on where you live, there might have been changes to the testing process. If not in quarantine or lockdown, learner drivers can continue racking up hours in anticipation of tests. Tests were once suspended in every state/territory aside from NT, unless considered a ‘priority test’. That’s not the case now, thankfully. But you may find that certain jurisdictions have a backlog of tests and slightly longer waiting times.

In some areas, the hazard perception and learners permit tests can be taken online. There are usually also health and safety restrictions in place for the actual driving test. For example, you may be required to wear a mask, have proof of vaccination or negative test, or meet other criteria depending on where you live.

Driving lessons with an instructor

Thankfully, in most areas, learner drivers can keep booking these lessons and getting the driving experience they need. The sessions do require close contact with an instructor, so have an honest conversation about how each party will help safeguard the other’s health. Ideally, you should both be vaccinated.

It’s important to remember that you should only take driving lessons during COVID if you’re well, and not showing any symptoms. The driving instructor should be paying you the same courtesy.

Lessons or not, you want to keep yourself healthy while driving. For maximum protection, read our tips on how to avoid COVID-19 when on the road.

Driving lessons during COVID: Choosing an instructor

When choosing someone to give you driving lessons during COVID, there are a few extra considerations.

Look for businesses that are transparent about their response to COVID-19. Customers’ health and safety should be top priority.

The driving school’s website should state clearly what precautions their business is taking, including in-car safety and cleanliness measures. Make sure you get the answers to these questions:

  • How are they disinfecting their car and keeping you safe while you’re driving together?
  • Are they leaving windows open and either not using air conditioning or ensuring it’s locked on ‘fresh air’ settings?
  • Do they thoroughly clean all touched surfaces after every lesson?
  • Are they strongly committed to regular hand washing?
  • How are they enforcing social distancing measures within their business, outside the lesson environment?
  • Are instructors fully vaccinated?

Also check for any restrictive payment options. For example, can you pay online rather than going into an office? If a lesson has to be postponed or cancelled for COVID-related reasons, will they make you pay again?

Maintaining social distancing where possible, avoiding touching your face, wearing a face mask and sanitising often will help keep you safe if you’re taking driving lessons during COVID.

Driving lessons? Tick. Insurance? Tick.

Driving lessons during COVID might have meant waaaayy less people on the road. But now that things are getting back to normal, the roads are crowded. And people are back to their usual habits. Comprehensive car insurance offers you financial protection if you’re involved in an accident. After all, you’ve just splurged on driving lessons. You don’t want to have to shell out for a bumper bash too!

If the learner driver in your life is your teen, when they’re ready to buy their first car, you’ll have peace of mind knowing they’ll be protected.

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