Learning to drive in South Australia

People need a drivers license for many reasons. For many young people around Australia, access to formal driving lessons to become well trained drivers is cost prohibitive. Coupling the lack of formal driving instruction with less than satisfactory / inadequate driving role models places young drivers and other motorists at risk. In a regional Australia context, the driving environment/conditions are relatively high risk and skilled driving to suit these conditions is required.

For young people, access to a private vehicle is paramount to their overall wellbeing and development. For those wishing to be employed in one of the many trades, a license is viewed as a necessity by the majority of employers. Young people without a license are therefore highly disadvantaged when looking for employment locally or out of the region due to the lack of a license.

Another area of cencern is where young people without access to a family car, struggle to gain a license with the compulsory hours of driver practise required by each state or territory as part of the Learner requirements.. The following programs attempt to ease these challenges.

	National Program funded by the Australian Government
		Keys2Drive Organised by the Automobile Associations of Australia ( AAA ) this program requires the Learner to have a Learner's License before commencing the course. The free Learner lesson is only available to people holding an Australian Learners Permit. Applying for an Australian License using an International License is not applicable to this program.
	South Australian Programs The following programs are run for Learner Drivers with no access to a family car for the additional 70 hours of practise.
		Geared 2 Drive: A SYC program run by their youth services division HYPA (Helping Young People Achieve). Geared2Drive is offered from Adelaide and the City of Onkaparinga. Enquiries in the first instance to (08) 8405 8540 or via HYPA Website. In Adelaide, all Geared2Drive lessons depart HYPA's Adelaide Office at 135 Currie Street, Adelaide. In Onkaparinga, all Geared2Drive lessons depart from Wardli Youth Centre at 13 McKinna Road, Christies Downs. HYPA Website link
		Youth on Wheels: Youth on wheels is a fully Grant District Council owned and operated learner driver mentor program assisting youth in both the District and City to obtain a P1 licence. To participate as a learner or as a volunteer visit the Council's forms directory.
		Wheels in Motion A City of Playford program serving youth in the Elizabeth, Salisbury and Gawler suburbs of Adelaide. The program is also run by Eyre Futues for Learner Drivers in Port Lincoln, Ceduna and Whyalla. URL: City of Playford URL: Eyre Futures
		In preparation for the Learners test at an SA Service Centre, practise tests can be completed online through the RAA website: URL: Online RAA Learners Test

All of the above programs rely on mentors prepared to give approxiumately 2 hours of their time each week assisting Learner clients.
Mentors are given professional Driver Training and are required to hold a National Police Clearances and a good driving record.