Who can sit with a learner driver?

The government’s Ready to Pass campaign shows that the average time it takes for someone to pass their driving test is 45 hours of lessons with a driving instructor plus a further 22 hours of private practice with a friend or family member.

Have you ever thought about the responsibilities of the person who supervises the learner during these private lessons? It’s up to them to keep the learner safe and most private cars do not have dual controls like many professional instructors.

What are the rules for supervising a learner driver?

Sometimes the extra responsibility that comes with supervising someone who is learning to drive can be more stressful and nerve-racking than actually taking the wheel. You need to have trust in the learner that they know what they’re doing and will listen to your instructions and advice.

One way of calming these nerves is to assess their competence, confidence and ability.

Talk to the learner to see where and how far they’re happy to drive, which manoeuvres they want to try out with your support and what they feel are their big challenges. It’s worth having a similar conversation with their instructor.

Remember that you’re there to support them and keep them safe while on the road. All this extra learning can help boost their skills and confidence.

A supervisor should sit in the front passenger seat next to the learner driver so that they can advise clearly. Under no circumstances should a supervisor accept payment for these private driving lessons – even for fuel – as this is illegal.

During private driving practice, both the learner and supervisor (who must hold a full driving licence) need to:

• Be sober – Supervisors need to be alert to potential hazards and focus on keeping the new driver safe. They should not be supervising if under the influence as this could be a danger to the learner, themselves and other road users.
• Refrain from using their phones or devices – Many of us are obsessed with our phones but a supervisor should put their devices down and focus fully on the road and supporting the learner.
• Have eyesight that meets the ‘standards of vision for driving’ – If the supervisor doesn’t have strong enough eyesight to be driving the car themselves, they should not be supervising.
• Have the right insurance – It is a legal requirement for the supervisor and learner driver to have insurance in place to drive the vehicle.

With learner driver insurance easily available from Tempcover, it’s an affordable option for some extra practice. Gov.uk has guidance for supervising a learner drivers including:

• If the learner is driving their supervisor’s car, they must either be added to their annual policy as a named driver (the supervisor’s no claims discount could be affected if they make a claim) or take out learner driver insurance (with Tempcover, any claims will not affect the supervisor’s no claims discount).
• If the learner is using their own car, they must be the registered keeper and have their own insurance (annual or temporary) that covers them as a learner driver.

A learner driver can get an unlimited fine, be banned from driving and get up to 8 penalty points for driving without insurance.

Who can supervise a learner driver?

Many learners will take on this extra practice with a family member, especially if they’re living at the same address and have easy access to a car, but friends can also take on the role of supervisor.

To get Tempcover’s learner driver insurance, the learner must:

• Be aged 17-69 years old.
• Hold a UK provisional driving licence without any points.
• Have been a permanent UK resident for the last 12 months.
• Have no criminal convictions.
• Not had a previous insurance policy declared void.

The person supervising the learner must:

• Be aged over 25 (this is for a Tempcover policy only, the legal minimum age to supervise a learner is 21 years old).
• Have held a full UK driving licence for at least 3 years.
• Have been a permanent UK resident for at least 2 years.

The car must:

• Be valued between £500 and £30,000 (Tempcover policy requirements only).
• Be taxed and in a roadworthy condition with a current and valid MOT.
• Be insured with an annual or temporary insurance policy if you are not the owner of the vehicle (the learner and policyholder).
• Be used only when the learner and the policyholder is being supervised to learn to drive.
• Be a right-hand drive car with no more than 5 seats in total and not be modified in any way except to aid disabled drivers.

There must be at least two L (or D in Wales) plates clearly on display on the vehicle.

Under no circumstances should a learner drive on their own. If they are caught driving unsupervised or without the right supervision, they may face the following:

• Their insurance could be immediately invalidated – And it will be extremely hard to get another policy in the future, unless they’re willing to pay a hefty premium.
• Up to six penalty points on your provisional licence – These points will transfer to the learner’s full licence once they pass your test. If they get 12 or more points, it’s likely they will be disqualified from driving.
• A £1,000 fine – Money that would be better off spent on more driving lessons or for putting towards a new vehicle.

Advice for supervising a learner driver

• Brush up on the Highway Code – Can you remember just how much there was to learn in this book? Supervisors should have a browse through the Highway Code to remind you of some of the lesser-known rules of the road.
• Plan ahead – This could be a nervy time for supervisor and passenger. Supervisors should plan out a route well ahead of the session. Include time for manoeuvres and breaks for feedback/rest.
• Keep calm, alert and responsive – The person supervising a learner driver should be clear with their instructions and directions and keep an eye out for potential hazards.
• Cut out your own bad driving habits – It’s very hard to remain objective when it comes to evaluating your own driving but most of us will have things we know we can improve on. Supervisors should try to consider what they do wrong (e.g. indicating too late or driving too close to the car in front) and cut these habits out when helping a learner get in some extra practice.

Both learner and supervisor should also know the condition of the car and any of its quirks, while ensuring that both have relevant insurance.

Who is responsible if a learner driver has an accident?

A learner driver has the same duty of care as those with full driving licences. This means they are responsible for any incidents. If a learner driver has an accident, they will be deemed responsible as they were behind the wheel. However, if the supervisor is not deemed to be in a fit and proper state or intoxicated, they can also be penalised with fines, penalties or even imprisonment.

If a learner driver is caught speeding, they could face a fine and points on their licence. If they’re caught speeding in the supervisor’s car, the supervisor will get the letter to inform them of the offence. If the supervisor receives this letter, they can nominate the learner as the driver.

Parking tickets are a little different as no points are involved. The supervisor and learner should discuss what to do and if they should split the cost if they receive a parking fine.

The Government’s Ready to Pass website has more information on the rules for supervising a learner driver.

How many passengers can a learner driver have?

There is no limit on the number of passengers (or the age of them) a learner can have in private lessons but it’s worth bearing in mind that there will be more distractions, especially if some of the passengers are children. The supervisor should ideally be sat in the front passenger seat, so that they can give clear directions.

When carrying passengers, the learner should also take into account that the car may feel different to what they’re used to and provide a slightly altered driving experience due to the increased weight etc.

For Tempcover’s learner driver insurance policies, there is a maximum number of five seats per vehicle, so the learner and supervisor can only carry three passengers.

Can a learner driver drive on the motorway?

The short answer is only with a qualified driving instructor. You can find out more in Tempcover’s guide to learners driving on the motorway.

Can learner drivers drive at night?

Yes, learners can drive cars in the darker hours – both privately and with approved driving instructors. This can help increase confidence as learners get used to driving in different conditions. You’re going to have to drive at all hours of the day, and winter lessons may take place in darkness so it’s important to become familiar with these settings.

Tempcover It!

Extra driving practice can make a huge difference when it comes to preparing to take your test. To do this, both the learner and supervisor should fully understand the legal requirements for this kind of driving, including ensuring they are both covered by the most appropriate insurance policy.

Both should also understand their legal responsibilities and feel confident in each other’s company and ability. Extra support and practice can make a huge difference to a learner’s driving skills and build their confidence, making private lessons a worthwhile effort. The more learners drive, the more they will get used to the ways of the road as they physically and mentally prepare for their test.

One way of ensuring peace of mind while practising out on the road is temporary car insurance. Get a quote from Tempcover in under 2 minutes and enjoy comprehensive learner driver insurance from 12 hours to 28 days.