Hazard perception test drives learners online

Monday, 14 October 2024

South Australian learner drivers now have the option to take the Hazard Perception Test online, improving convenience and streamlining the process for those wanting to obtain their provisional licence in their own time.

The new online version of the hazard perception test provides novice drivers with the flexibility to complete it anytime, anywhere. The test is an important step that assesses a driver’s ability to recognise and identify potential hazards on the road and react appropriately. This involves situations with other road users including cars, pedestrians and cyclists.

The online course is an alternative option to sitting the test in-person at a Service SA centre, which requires a customer to make a booking and attend. Currently around 30,000 hazard perception tests are undertaken at Service SA centres each year.

The test is a compulsory assessment which learner drivers have to pass before they can obtain their P1 Provisional Licence. The online version provides users with 25 different scenarios of real driving situations where they are asked to respond by clicking their mouse. Customers are required to correctly answer 13 scenarios to pass and move on to the next step in obtaining their provisional licence.

Some overseas licence holders or returning drivers whose licence expired more than five years ago may also be required to pass the hazard perception test. These participants may also be required to complete other necessary tests, such as a practical driving test, before they can be issued with a South Australian Driver’s Licence.

Unlike the current in-centre test, the online version has a 12-month subscription period that allows customers to retake the test multiple times until they successfully pass. As a result, candidates only need to pay a one-off fee of $35 to access the yearlong subscription, helping to improve a user’s understanding, confidence and overall result.

This is the latest digital service that the Department has delivered to help novice drivers in their journey to obtain a full licence. Since the introduction of the online myLs test in 2021, more than 99 per cent of tests are now undertaken online with novice drivers embracing the flexibility and convenience.

The hazard perception test is a critical part of the Graduated Licensing Scheme which helps novice drivers gain the skills and knowledge they need to stay safe on the road. Unfortunately, new drivers aged between 16 to 24 years old are almost twice as likely to be involved in a serious or fatal crash. Research has found that strengthening driving experiences and training can lead to reductions in crashes both before and after obtaining a driver’s licence.

The test has been developed by software company Compono Australia, the same developers of the successful online myLs course.

Hear from Service SA Director, Tess Foresto about the milestone.