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The Driving Companion

Choosing your driving conditions

When using your Log Book, it is recommended that you record all of your driving experience in different conditions. This means you can keep track of the type of conditions you have driven in. By the time you go for your driving test, you should have lots of experience in all driving conditions.

Before you commence any practice, your Qualified Supervising Driver should explain each driving task to you.

Start your driving practice on quiet streets and, as your driving gets better, begin to experience a wider range of conditions. You could try driving in different -

  • Light conditions (day, night, dawn, dusk)
  • Weather conditions (eg rain, fog)
  • Types of roads (eg highways, gravel roads)
  • Traffic conditions (light or heavy)

Only drive in these conditions when you are comfortable controlling your car. Try one new condition at a time, so you have time to become familiar with each new situation. Don't combine lots of new driving conditions all at once. Try easier driving conditions first and slowly move to harder conditions when you're ready.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What is regarded as 'driving'?
A. When filling out your Log Book, 'driving' is any time when you are in the driving seat and your car is moving. Driving also includes being stationary at intersections or in a line of traffic. Driving doesn't include being in the driver's seat of a parked vehicle, unless you are practising a form of parking.

Q. What details do I record in my Log Book?
A. For each journey you fill in:

  • the time you start driving
  • the time you finish driving
  • the duration of your drive
  • the name of the suburb you drove from (e.g do not enter "home")
  • the name of the suburb you drove to (e.g do not enter "shops" or "sports practice")
  • the road conditions
  • the weather conditions and
  • the traffic conditions

Your Qualified Supervising Driver and you then both sign for the journey after completing the drive.

Q. When I drive to and from a shop, how do I fill in my Log Book?
A. You can only fill it in to show the time that you spent driving. This means that if you drive to a shop or anywhere else where you park the car, you can only fill in the time you spent driving. You must fill in one row for driving to the shop and another row for driving back from the shop remembering to include the suburb.

Q. What happens if I lose my Driving Companion?
A. Your Driving Companion is very important so try not to lose it. If you do, you will need to buy another one.

Q. What happens if I make an error filling out a row?
A. Cross out the row and start again on a new row.

Q. What happens if my Qualified Supervising Driver turns out to not be eligible to be a Qualified Supervising Driver?
A. All of the related entries will be invalid and not count. If a provisional licence has been issued, it will be void (cancelled).

Q. If I pass my test, what happens to my Driving Companion?
A. When applying for your Provisional P1 Licence, you are required to surrender the log book pages, including your Declaration, and hand them in to a Service SA Centre with your Certificate of Competency. You will keep the Driving Companion.

Q. What happens if my log book is filled out incorrectly?
A. That part of the logbook will be declared invalid and not count. If it is deliberate, you are committing an offence and could be fined up to $5,000.

Q. What if I state I've done 75 hours when I haven't?
A. You are committing an offence and could be fined up to $5,000. Your Licence will be void and you will need to resit the Theory Test, and accumulate another 75 hours of supervised driving.

Q. What if I forget to fill out the Log Book and later when I go to fill it out I can't remember the details?
A. If you can't remember the details, you can't count that driving time. The best way to stop this happening is to fill it in when you finish driving.

Q. Can I have more than one Qualified Supervising Driver complete my log book?
A. Yes. Each time you drive you can have the same or a different Qualified Supervising Driver. Your supervising driver must sign your driving hours record.

Heads Up!

Your licensed Motor Driving Instructor or Authorised Examiner is a Qualified Supervising Driver and the time you spend driving with them counts towards your driving experience.  So ask them to please fill in your log book and sign it.

Q. Is there a legal limit to how long I can drive for?
A. There is no legal limit, but try not to make your trips too long. If you're going on a drive, take plenty of breaks. If you get tired, ask your Qualified Supervising Driver to take over the driving.

Q. I entered that I drove from "home" to the "shops" in my log book and it was refused by Service SA, why?
A. You must enter the actual suburb of your home and the shops, or anywhere else you drive, otherwise your log book won't be accepted.

dangers of driving at night

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