Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The training is designed to assist young drivers if they’re involved in, or come across, a motor vehicle crash.
The ACT Government has launched a new learner driver first aid program.
This will provide more flexible options for learner drivers to enhance their skills and credit their mandatory supervised driving hours.
From 22 November, Canberrans learning to drive will have an opportunity to obtain basic lifesaving first aid skills and claim five hours credit against their required driving hours.
The training is designed to assist people if they’re involved in, or come across, a motor vehicle crash.
The program won’t just provide the skills that could save a life, it’s hoped to be a reminder to the next generation of drivers of the serious consequences of car accidents.
Under the new program new drivers are eligible for the five credit hours if they have held a learner licence for at least three months.
There will be eight approved courses available from 22 November, delivered either online, face-to-face or a combination of both.
The time commitment and cost requirements for each course varies depending on the type and depth of content delivered.
The new learner driver first aid program builds on existing competency training for learner drivers to make sure people have a better understanding of road safety.
This new program joins two other road safety education opportunities available for driving hours credit:
* Vulnerable Road User Program offers a 10-hour credit for completing the course
* Safer Driver Course provides learner drivers aged under 25 with 20 hours credit towards their required driving hours.
Together these programs provide learner drivers aged under 25 years with up to 35 hours credit towards the 100 mandatory hours, and provide them with potentially life-saving skills.
“St John Ambulance ACT commends the government on their initiative to promote driver first aid specially aimed at learner drivers,” 2022 Senior Australian of the Year, ACT Senior Australian of the Year and St John Ambulance volunteer Val Dempsey said.
“This initiative through St John Ambulance ACT is supporting learner drivers in developing first aid skills, so they may be prepared to step forward with capabilities, competencies, and knowledge, to save a life in the event of an emergency, particularly in road safety.”
Learner driver first aid courses completed before the program’s commencement date, or with a provider that is not on the approved list, will not be eligible for the logbook credit.
For more information visit www.act.gov.au/roadsafety.
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