Digitalised alternatives for the way learners record and submit their hours on the road are newly available. The mandatory hours of driving practice are now easier to manage with apps that utilise GPS tracking to record the length and route of every hour spent practicing on the road. Most drivers are familiar with the laborious process of writing the details of every hour spent practicing on the road, but the launch of three new apps finally provides learners with a time-saving alternative.

For NSW drivers, there are three apps accepted by the Roads and Maritime Services. Sound exciting? Here’s your guide to three digital logbooks:

1. L2P

The L2P app allows learners to track and record each driving session in real-time. Users set up a profile and add one or more cars to a profile that can be used on roads across Australia. It connects learners with supervisors and instructors who can structure lesson plans or verify each driving session.

The app includes training elements for new drivers such as educational videos, a countdown feature for extra motivation, and enables learners to track their progress and achievements.

Cost: Free
Compatibility: Android and iOS (iOS 10.0 or later) platforms.

2. Roundtrip

Learners who use the Roundtrip app can store and submit supervised driving sessions by simply tapping the record button and entering the odometer reading. The Roundtrip app is interactive with checklists, driving tips and information. Learners can track the total amount of practice hours and manage their progress with learning goals and milestones.

Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS (iOS 9.0 or later) & Android devices

3. Licence Ready

Learners can use the Licence Ready app to record their driving sessions with the platform’s digital logbook. Licence Ready also features instructional materials such as narrations and driving programs to explain road rules and traffic conditions to new drivers.

The app is accessible by multiple users and includes note taking capabilities to support the supervision of driving sessions. Licence Ready currently caters for automatic vehicles only

The app only requires wifi for the first 30 seconds and the GPS functionality can be disabled. Licence Ready will not record driving sessions longer than two hours, to encourage drivers to stop, revive and survive.

Cost: A free version of the app (valid for 24 months) is available.

• Pro version ($2.29 per month) includes animated and photo-based learning goals, detailed summaries of a learner’s risk and skill status and planned routes.

Compatibility: Operates on iPhone and Android devices and across mobile and desktop.

Did digital kill the paper logbook?

Not yet  – for learners that prefer the paper version, logbooks aren’t going anywhere. If there are hours recorded in a paper logbook but you want to move to a digitalised logbook, you’ll need to manually add in the date, mileage and licence details of each entry into the app again. If you’ve got more than fifty hours completed and stored in a paper logbook, it might be more time consuming to move your data over to a digital logbook.

Like any piece of technology,  there is often the risk of an app crashing or troubleshooting but for each of the three platforms, learners can restore their account and driving history on another device and continue tracking their progress.

Ready, set, go!
Each digital logbook app is designed to save time and make it easy for NSW learners and supervisors. All that’s required to get going is a valid NSW learner driver license and a valid un unrestricted Class C Australian driver licence or a NSW driving instructor licence for supervisors.

There’s never been a better time to start clocking off your practice hours and get a step closer to your driving test – but with every good thing, there comes responsibility. When you’ve downloaded an app of your choice, there are a few things to remember:

• Using a mobile device is still restricted whilst whilst driving. These digital logbook apps will automatically log your driving session in the background when you choose to start recording.
• Your licence details, along with the licence details of a supervising driver are required to set up an account on any of the three approved apps
• Transferring hours across apps needs to be manually entered
• Digital records need to be submitted at least 48 hours before your driving test

Interested in how digital logbooks might affect your driving lessons? Speak to an LTrent instructor to find the best way of taking advantage of the new technology or start logging your supervised lessons today.

There are plenty of ways to learn something new but when it comes to driving, experience is the best teacher. Typically the journey to earning your drivers licence takes place over four years – the system was designed to give learners plenty of time to gain confidence on the road and develop safe driving habits. Four types of testing modules were also in place to ensure drivers were ready to be on the road. But despite these precautionary processes, provisional 1 (P1) and provisional 2 (P2) drivers accounted for 15% of fatalities in NSW last year.
The alarming numbers prompted a revision to the way drivers were taught and tested.

As of November 20th 2017, the Roads and Maritime Services will introduce pivotal changes to the way drivers in NSW are tested for a full, unrestricted licence.

In a nutshell  

Drivers on their learner licence will need to pass a Hazard Perception Test (HPT) before booking a driving test for a P1 licence.

Drivers are only required to take the HPT once – before the P1 driving test. Drivers who have held their P1 licence for more than 12 months can now simply apply for their P2 licence without the HPT.

What else is new?

Previously the Driver Qualification test was a prerequisite to a full, unrestricted licence. After November 20th, drivers who have completed the HPT test and have held a P2 licence for at least 24 months, can apply for a full licence without sitting the Driver Qualification test.

But, if a P2 licence holder has collected too many demerit points or has had their licence suspended, there is a possibility that drivers will have an extra six months added to their P2 licence.

How will the new Graduated Licensing Scheme affect me?

Drivers applying for their P1 licence after November 20th will pass through the new Graduated Licensing Scheme – but drivers who are currently on their P1 or P2 licence will not be part of the new changes. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Learner Drivers:

• Current learner licence holders (including 25 year olds and older) will need to pass the HPT test before they are eligible to book the P1 driving test
• Drivers with a learner licence will need to hold their licence for at least 10 months before they can take the HPT test. This doesn’t apply to learner drivers who are 25 years or over.
• Don’t forget the HPT test is valid for 15 months. Learners will have to take the HPT test again if they are unsuccessful in passing their driving test within that time.

P1 Drivers:

• Drivers with a P1 licence before November 20th will still need to sit the HPT.
• Renewing a P1 licence after November 20th? You still need to pass the HPT test to progress to a P2 licence if the test hasn’t been successfully completed beforehand.

P2 Drivers:

• Drivers who hold a P2 licence before 20 November 2017 will still need to pass the Driver Qualification Test before applying for a full licence.
• Drivers who renew or apply for a P2 licence after the 20th of November 2017 do not need to do the Driver Qualification Test.

Find out more information about the changes here.

Preparing for the Hazard Perception Test

Changes to the licensing scheme place an emphasis on a driver’s ability to identify and respond appropriately to hazards on the road.

The Hazard Perception Test is a touch-screen test that measures a driver’s ability to recognise and respond to hazards on the road. The test assesses a driver’s perception skills through 15 potential situations and real traffic circumstances that contribute to common crashes in NSW. In every situation, drivers are asked if they’d slow down, overtake or turn.

Taking the HPT test is a crucial stage of progressing to a full licence. Here are some ways you can ensure you’re prepared for the test:

• Take it slow: Before making an instinctive decision, stop to weigh up the real or imagined risks of every situation. Often, the risks are manageable and it’s only when we understand the situation that we can find the right response. Don’t forget to pause and breathe before determining your response.
• React with caution: In uneasy situations, it can be tempting to react out of spontaneity or instinct. When you’re considering a response, always ensure that your course of action does not risk harming anyone around you (including yourself) and falls in line with existing road rules and policies.
• Know the facts: It seems like a no brainer but knowing what hazards to watch for helps protect you before a dangerous situation even occurs. In NSW, almost 80% of accidents for provisional drivers can be attributed to collisions (rear end, at intersections or head on) or running off the road and hitting an object. When drivers know the facts, it helps them make informed decisions in light of precarious situations.

Need a helping hand? A Hazard Perception Handbook is available online. Plus, get a taste of the real thing with five interactive modules online.

There’s no compromise for quality

The changes make it clear that what matters the most is: safe driving. The change rewards drivers who can safely apply driving rules and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Leverage the experience of our seasoned drivers and ensure you’re well equipped for the HPT test or driving test with the help of our instructors.

See our Safer Drivers Course where you can easily get 20 bonus logbook hours.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to speak with our friendly staff.

When it comes to learning to drive, choosing the right instructor is critical to your success on test day and beyond.

So, what should you insist on when choosing a driving instructor?

Certification
The instructor that you choose should have:

• NSW driving instructor’s licence
• Certificate IV Road Transport & Logistics (Car Driving Instruction)
• NSW Working With Children Check

Insurance
To ensure that you aren’t liable should something go wrong, your instructor should have:

• Comprehensive motor vehicle insurance specifically covering driving instruction
• Public liability insurance
• Professional indemnity insurance

Vehicle

• Small to medium vehicles are most practical for learning
• The training vehicle should be less than four years old

Tuition

• Your instructor should follow a curriculum and not teach ad hoc
• Most of your lesson time should be spent on practice and skills development, not new skills

Teaching skills
Your driving instructor should:

• Be professional, polite and on time
• Be supportive
• Give honest, professional feedback, you need to know where you are up to.
• Care about the kind of driver you will be on your P’s

LTrent Specialist Trainer’s are the most qualified in the industry because we are Australia’s leading educator of driver trainers. Why 300,000 Students Chose LTrent.
We guarantee that with Trent, you will experience the best level of training and service in Australia. We are so confident in our trainers that at the end of your lesson, if you don’t believe that you’ve received the best level of service and training, we’ll we refund your money.