Best places to practise driving
Britannia Roundabout probably isn’t the best place for new drivers to start. There are, however, other areas better suited to learners.
Keys2drive – a federal government-funded, RAA-supported program offering free driving lessons – has turned 10. To celebrate, we reveal 5 of the safest places to practise driving.
1. Empty parking lots
An empty parking lot is the perfect starting point. For most learners, they’re customary cruising spots. Often there are fewer vehicles manoeuvring their way around small parking lots, which makes them safe spots to get a feel for being behind the wheel. Learners can practise driving at slow speeds, using indicators and parking between the lines. It’s best to steer clear of private parking lots. Instead, stick to bigger, public car parks, such as those found at Westfield shopping centres. Remember: while it’s not illegal to drive through empty parking spaces, take note of any signposted speed limits and abide by them.
For most learners, empty car parks are customary cruising spots.
2. Crowded parking lots
Ready to graduate to a busier parking lot? We’d still recommend avoiding peak shopping times, like Saturdays and Sundays. Practising in a crowded parking lot gives new drivers the chance to work on braking, reaction times and, of course, parking between cars. Try to pick a parking lot with both angle and 90-degree parks to get a feel for different spaces. Just be mindful that car parks are common collision hot spots, so make sure that as a supervisor, you’re on the lookout for pedestrians and reversing vehicles.
Crowded car parks are common collision hot spots, so remain extra alert.
3. Roads with different speed limits
Speed limits can change quickly – sometimes with little notice. In fact, it’s common to go from 80km/h to 60km/h within a few metres. Quick reflexes and coordination are vital in situations like these. In particular, school and roadwork zones, where speeds can drop to as low as 25km/h, are good areas to practise. Remind your learner to think ahead and take note of all road signs. Just remember: learners can’t exceed 100km/h at any time, even if the local speed limit exceeds 100 km/h.
Roadwork zones, where speeds can drop to as low as 25km/h, are good areas to practise.