The report further found that 60% of the respondents teaching another person to drive admitted they did not review road rules before teaching, while 56% did not reflect on their bad habits. Many learners agreed, with 41% saying their insturctors did not always set a good example when driving.
However, the report emphasised that minimising stress has a significant impact on the pass rate of driving tests, with 76% of learners who had a stress-free experience passing on their first attempt.
With a correlation between less stress and driving test success, Allianz has teamed up with EzLicence driving instructor Angelo Russo, who has nearly 13 years of experience in teaching. The partnership aims to develop “Tips for the Teaching Set,” a guide for supervising someone learning to drive.
“Learning to drive can be a stressful situation for everyone involved, so we feel it's important to provide those in the teaching seat with readily available educational resources. At Allianz, we're aiming to better prepare both learners and those sitting alongside them as they embark on this important milestone in so many young Australians' lives and make them feel more secure in the process,” said Allianz chief general manager, consumer, Michael Winter.
Allianz will release the guide ahead of the festive season and school holidays when we often see more cars on the road.
“We encourage Australians to conduct a policy health check; and for those using the time off work to teach, check the vehicle has the correct cover for learner drivers before heading out on the road. Having this security is a surefire way to reduce the stress of the situation,” Winter said.
Russo commented: “The Allianz research findings have shone an important light on how ill-equipped many teachers are before stepping into the passenger seat. However, through good preparation, a lot of the stress factors the research identified can be addressed, making learning to drive a much smoother and successful process for all.
“I'm thrilled to have partnered with Allianz and developed my Tips for the Teaching Seat, as most Australians have only a working knowledge of the road rules and often have developed some bad habits over the years. Do you always signal when leaving a roundabout? These poor driving behaviours are easily passed on to your learner when they're in the passenger seat and are enough to see them fail their driving test. I encourage all teachers to lead by example.”
