What To Expect On Your First Driving Lesson

You’ve just secured your learner’s permit, and now you’re ready to start taking driving lessons.

First of all, great job! You should be proud of yourself for passing your permit test. Hopefully, you’re also feeling excited to get out on the road and learn how to drive.

If you’re considering booking a lesson with a professional, you’re probably wondering what to expect on your first driving lesson. What do you do during the session, and how are driving lessons organised?

We know this can all feel a bit nerve-wracking. Rest assured, Australia is a pretty good place to take your first driving lesson. Australia boasts a large network of sealed roads, lots of quiet backstreets and car parks to practise in, access to professional driving instructors, and compulsory safety requirements for all new modern cars. 

So, it’s safe to say that learner drivers in Australia enjoy a beginner-friendly driving landscape. 

This guide takes you through what to expect on your first driving lesson. Spoiler alert: it’s not as scary as you might think.

How to Prepare for Your First Driving Lesson

You’re keen to get out on the open road and learn to drive. So, how should you prepare for your first driving lesson?

Before you get behind the wheel, we’ll run through what you need to know and explain what to bring to your first driving lesson. 

What Should I Know Before My First Driving Lesson?

You need a learner’s permit to head out on driving lessons. 

If you have a learner’s permit in your hand, that means you’ve passed the learner’s permit test. Passing the test indicates that you’re well-equipped with the knowledge you need to head out on your first driving lesson.

It’s a good idea to flick through some of the road rules resources again the night before your first driving lesson to refresh your memory. 

What to Bring to Your First Driving Lesson

There are a few things you’ll need to bring with you to your driving lessons. Jot them down and check them off before you head out.

You must bring

• Your learner’s permit
• Your logbook
• Any other items you may need, including water 

We recommend starting your first driving lesson from your home address. If you meet your instructor at the shops and you happened to forget your learner’s permit, you aren’t legally allowed to drive. In this case, you may need to forfeit your driving lesson.  Meeting your instructor at home means that if you do forget something, you can run inside and grab it. 

What to Expect on Your First Driving Lesson

So, you’re set with a brain full of road rules and a bag containing your learner’s permit, logbook, and other necessities. 

Let’s take a look at what you can expect in your first driving lesson. 

What Happens on Your First Driving Lesson?

You might feel nervous heading into your first driving lesson. This is completely normal. The more time you spend driving, the more confident you’ll feel.

Knowing what to expect during your driving lessons can also help to settle your nerves. 

Below, we share a step-by-step guide to what happens during your first driving lesson.

Getting Picked Up

Your driving instructor will pick you up from a destination and time of your choosing, whether that’s your home or a nearby shop, before school or after work, or some other time and place that works well for you (within reason).

As mentioned, we recommend that you choose your home address as the pickup location for your first few lessons to minimise hassle if you do forget something. 

The majority of learner drivers take their lessons in the driving instructor’s car. Your driving instructor will already have learner plates set up (and signage or a car wrap), so you won’t need to worry about bringing your own. 

If you’re going to be learning to drive in your own car, you’ll have to make sure you have learner plates displayed. They need to be clearly visible on your car. 

Introduction to the Car

Once you’re in the car, your driving instructor will take you through the dashboard and car controls. Essentially, they’ll show you the basics of operating the car. 

You’ll also need to take some time to adjust the driver’s seat and rearview mirrors. Make sure you’re in a comfortable position that allows you to easily access all controls and view the car’s immediate surroundings.

You won’t be expected to know everything immediately, but learning a bit about the car you’ll be driving ahead of time can help alleviate nerves and make you feel more comfortable during your first lesson. 

EzLicence allows you to see what type of car you’ll be learning in, ahead of time. If you like, you can look up the interior dashboard for that model of car online before your driving lesson begins and get familiar with the layout.  

Using the Mirrors

One of the most important elements of operating a vehicle is learning how to use its mirrors. During your first driving lesson, your instructor will make sure you know how to position and use your mirrors. 

Remember, everything in your rearview mirrors is going to appear backwards.

Ever wondered why ambulances and some other emergency vehicles have their description written backwards on the front of the vehicle? 

It’s so you can easily read it in your rearview mirror and move out of the way.

You will also discover that objects in the rearview mirror may be closer than they appear. This phrase is actually written on most rearview mirrors to remind you. It may look like you have 6 car lengths worth of space behind you, but the car following you may be 2 car lengths away. 

Your instructor will advise you to refrain from relying on your rearview mirror when reversing. You will be instructed to turn your body, look behind you when reversing, and check for vehicles in your ‘blind spot’ when merging lanes.

Your First Drive

Once you’re set up, your driving instructor will ask you to drive around a bit, likely in a quiet backstreet or car park. 

It’s unlikely that you’ll drive a great distance, as the first part of your lesson will have been spent covering your knowledge of the car controls. 

Your first lesson is really about getting a feel for the car in preparation for your subsequent driving lessons.

Your driving instructor will coach you through each action closely. Try to relax and focus on the road, and follow any instructions given by your driving instructor. 

If you’re driving in difficult weather conditions such as rain, remember to account for these conditions. Slow down if necessary and keep a reasonable distance between you and any other vehicles in front of you on the road.

Learning Driving Basics

You won’t be expected to do anything overly advanced during your first driving lesson, and it won’t be assumed that you have any prior experience. 

Your instructor certainly won’t expect you to know how to parallel park on your first day with them!

Your instructor will take you through the essentials of controlling the car and the basics of driving safely. Your tasks will likely consist of starting the car, moving off from the curb, easing to a stop, and parking the car.  

Even if you have practised with a parent or friend before your first driving lesson with a qualified driving instructor, try not to rush the process. 

Your driving instructor will be able to determine your driving ability quickly over the course of your driving lesson. Even if you have already learned a skill before, your instructor can check to make sure you are doing so correctly.

Learning to Park

During your first lesson, you will likely be taught how to park. As mentioned, reverse parallel parking is unlikely to be on the agenda; we’re talking about front-on parking, here.

If you’re already practising in a car park, there will be outlined spots to pull into, but if you’re on the road then don’t worry — kerbside parking is very manageable on a quiet road or street.

Remember, when parking the car you generally don’t need to apply the accelerator at all. By simply having your car in drive, the transmission will pull you forward with enough power and speed to get you into the parking space. 

Instead of the accelerator, you should focus on applying the car’s brake as needed to maintain fine control and prevent the car from colliding with anything.

Mistakes (oops)

It’s fairly unlikely you’ll do everything perfectly during your first driving lesson. 

Whether it’s accidentally pressing the brake pedal instead of the clutch or turning on your windshield wipers instead of activating your indicator — mistakes happen! You’re learning, so go easy on yourself. 

If you make a mistake, don’t let it affect your driving. Your driving instructor will help you acknowledge that the mistake happened, reflect on why it happened, and then show you how to avoid repeating the same mistake. 

Feedback From Your Driving Instructor

At the end of your first driving lesson, your instructor will give you some feedback on how you went. They will tell you what to focus on while practising in the lead-up to your next lesson. 

Make sure to pay attention and take note of your instructor’s feedback. If you can, try to use their advice to create your own personal structured lesson plan, with sessions focusing on improvement areas. 

Don’t be afraid to ask your driving instructor to write down a few small notes or key points for you. Depending on your state, your log book may have a few spaces for your driving instructor to leave feedback or instructions.

Getting Your Logbook Filled 

Don’t forget to take your logbook with you! 

After you’ve completed your lesson, your instructor will be able to fill in your logbook and tick off some supervised lesson hours.

If you’re in a state that offers competency-based driving assessment as a pathway to getting your provisional licence, you can even have them mark you off on skills that you have displayed competency in.

Depending on the state in which you are learning to drive, you may even be eligible for recognition of bonus driving experience for every hour you spend driving with a qualified driving instructor.

You should always have your log book (and a pen or pencil) with you while driving, even if you’re only going somewhere 5 minutes away. 

Record every driving session once you’ve parked the car before exiting the vehicle. While it may be tempting to leave it and fill it out at home, you run the risk of forgetting, meaning those minutes will simply go to waste. 

How Much Are Driving Lessons?

Generally, driving lessons cost around $75 per hour.

At EzLicence, we offer packaged pricing to offer you the best rates based on how many hours of driving lessons you require. 

Prices will differ from suburb to suburb and will also depend on the duration of your lesson. 

Take a look at the pricing guide for your suburb. 

How Many Driving Lessons Do I Need?

We’ve analysed data to determine how many driving lessons new drivers need before undertaking the practical driving test. 

Our research shows us that

• New learners (some experience) require 7 – 10 hours
• New learners (beginners) require 10 – 15 hours
• Overseas licence holders require 3 – 6 hours
• Refresher drivers require 4 – 7 hours

Do You Have to Do Driving Lessons with an Instructor?

Driving lessons with an instructor aren’t essential, but they’re highly recommended.

If you’re looking to complete more than 120 in your logbook, driving lessons can help boost your logbook hours and driving skills. 

Each hour you spend with a professional driving instructor counts directly towards the required 120 logbook hours. So, you’ll be banking up those hours and receiving driving education from a professional, which is the best way to learn about road rules, safe driving habits, and tips that can help you pass your driving test on the first go.

Driving with a parent, guardian, or other supervisor is a great way to get started, but you may end up with gaps in your knowledge that you might need to pass your driving test. 

Getting Out for Your First Lesson

If you’ve been wondering what to expect on your first driving lesson, you’ll now be better prepared to head out with an instructor.

Remember, every driver learned to drive the exact same way — even your driving instructor. No matter what happens during your first driving lesson, the most important thing is that you learn from the experience and use these learnings to become a better driver in the future. 

If you haven’t booked your first driving lesson yet, then simply enter your postcode into the instructor finder form below to browse the range of driving instructors available in your local area. 

Learning to drive takes a lot of time and practice, but now you can make your learning experience easier with EzLicence.

Learn more about our driving lessons here.