Mentors help learners hit the road

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Mentors help learners hit the road

VOLUNTEER driving instructors are helping learner drivers across South Gippsland gain their probationary licences.

South Gippsland Shire Council’s L2P Program sees instructors accompany learner drivers to gain the mandatory 120 hours of driving experience needed to secure a licence.

The program has been running since 2010 and so far 222 learners and 66 mentors have been involved, with 96 learners obtaining their licence.

Not every learner driver has access to an adult to help them gain their 120 hours, with parents of triplets or working night shift struggling to find the time. In some cases, learners do not have access to a vehicle.

Council’s L2P Program coordinator Lisa Bellairs told council last Wednesday, “Learner drivers are the safest drivers on our roads because they have supervising drivers next to them and they often go a bit slower and learn along the way.”

Mentors must have a full driver’s licence. Mentor Rob Reynolds has been a part of the program since 2010 and said being a mentor has improved his own driving.

The L2P Program is funded by the State Government until June 2019, with Ms Bellairs confident of funding being continued.

The government contributes $57,000 a year to the program in the shire, with council spending an extra $8000.The program entails four cars, with three bough by council and one bought by the Mirboo North community with sponsorship.

 

 

 

On the road: South Gippsland Shire Council’s L2P program coordinator Lisa Bellairs and mentor Rob Reynolds of Mirboo North with the program car based at Mirboo North and sponsored by council, Rotary Club of Mirboo North, Freemasons of Mirboo North, Lions Club of Mirboo North, and Mirboo North and District Community Bank Branch.

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Posted by on Oct 23 2018. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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