Professional driving instructors play an important role in teaching children to drive but parents must also bear some responsibility. That’s the conclusion of a new NRMA Insurance survey that finds more than 40% of parents leave it completely to outside help.

NRMA Road Safety Manager Pam Leicester says that’s a dangerous habit to get into. On-road experience – like driving Mum and Dad to the shops – is a vital aspect of driving education.

“Learners need much more experience than most people would be able to accumulate with a driving instructor, so parents really have a role to play in supervising their children’s on-road driving experience,” she said.

She encourages new drivers to have at least 120 hours of driving experience in a range of road conditions before attempting the licence test. Parents and family should be responsible for supervising most of that practice.