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AAP
AAP
Holly Hales

Free lesson to help young drivers avoid serious crashes

Teen learner drivers are being offered a free lesson in the hope of preventing major accidents. (HANDOUT/KIA AUSTRALIA)

Thousands of teenagers will be offered a free driving lesson in a bid to reduce major and fatal crashes.

Parents can also participate in the hour-long session, Victorian Roads Minister Melissa Horne said in announcing the scheme on Friday.

The in-car lessons will be delivered by an accredited driving instructor to teach road safety skills, and help supervising drivers support youngsters to complete their required 120 hours.

The initiative is expected to support around 15,000 families in the state.

Cost can be a barrier for learning to drive, said Ms Horne, with lessons costing up to $100 an hour.

"Teaching your kid to drive is a right of passage - but it also comes with worries," she said. 

"Every parent wants to make sure that their kids will be safe when they hop behind the wheel, and this free lesson will help them do just that."

Victorian L-platers aged 16 to 19 will be eligible to participate if they have practised for 10 to 30 hours and have a licensed supervising driver to attend the lesson.

Young drivers are almost four times more likely to be involved in a fatal or serious-injury crash than more experienced drivers.

Victorian learners need to complete 120 hours of practice to get a probationary licence, which has helped reduce fatal and serious crashes among young drivers by more than 40 per cent since its introduction in 2007.

Training and accreditation for driving instructors to deliver this program will also be free.

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