Each project arrives with its purpose, milestones and first tasks written out. Here is how the first three read.
Learner licensing rules where you live
Before anyone sits behind the wheel, find out exactly what your licensing authority requires: the minimum age for a learner permit, who may supervise, whether logged hours are compulsory, which roads learners may use and how long before a test can be taken. Rules differ sharply between countries and even between states, and the rules your own licence was issued under are probably out of date.
First tasks
- Find the licensing authority's official page for learner drivers
- Note the minimum age, supervisor rules and any required practice hours
- Check whether learners are barred from any roads, times or passengers
- Share the one-page summary with your teenager and other supervisors
Supervising driver eligibility for each adult
Most places set conditions for the person in the passenger seat, such as a minimum age, a full licence held for a set number of years and no recent driving ban, and many treat the supervisor as if they were driving when it comes to phones and alcohol. Checking each adult who might supervise, including a partner, grandparent or family friend, prevents a practice drive that turns out to be illegal and uninsured.
First tasks
- List every adult who might sit in as supervising driver
- Check each one's licence type and years held against the rules
- Ask each supervisor to confirm they have no current driving ban
- Write the confirmed supervisors on the first page of the logbook
Learner permit application and eyesight check
A learner permit or provisional licence usually needs proof of identity, a photo, an address, a fee and, in many places, an eyesight standard such as reading a number plate at a set distance. Applications can take weeks to process, so sending it off before the age threshold or the first booked lesson avoids cancelling lessons that have already been paid for.
First tasks
- Check the earliest date your teenager can apply for a learner permit
- Test whether they can read a number plate at the legal distance
- Gather identity documents, a photo and proof of address
- Submit the application and save the reference number
