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Parents of newly licensed riders


Parents of newly licensed riders

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Parents who are not bike riders themselves, believe all they can do is wave their children off and hope they will be OK. However, there is much parents can do to reduce the risk for newly licensed riders.

  • Try and influence their choice of Learner Approved Motorcycle (LAM) so it is suitable for their height, weightand strength, does not have a fairing which is expensiveto repair, and try to convince them to stay on it for as longas possible. Discourage them from moving on to a larger/heavier/more powerful bike as soon as they are eligible.
  • Show an interest in their new sport by learning about motorcycling yourself, becoming familiar with the different types of scooters and bikes.
  • Consider becoming a motorcyclist yourself - it will provide a common interest between you and your child and help to allay your fears when watching them ride off into the sunset!
  • Encourage and/or pay for them to learn how to service and maintain their bikes – the more they know about their bikes the better. And also cheaper!
  • Help them set up witches hats or other markers in an empty car park to practice slow riding techniques. This is an invaluable skill to have and will also help them pass their Provisional riding test with confidence.
  • Consider a 'riding mentor' – someone responsible they can ride with until they get through their initial 'scary' phase.
  • Encourage them to ride with riders of a similar level of experience but under the guidance of experienced riders willing to coach the group.
  • Discourage them from riding with more experienced (and likely faster) riders who might tempt them to ride out of their ability and comfort zone as they try to keep up.
  • Pay for, or offer to share the cost of, extra riding tuition,on a one-to-one basis if necessary, beyond the compulsory licensing course.
  • Pay for, or offer to share the cost of, good quality protective clothing. Encourage them to put this gear on even if they are riding locally, to friends or to the shops, as many serious injury crashes happen in these circumstances when the rider is only going a short distance and does not bother with the full gear.

Download theParents of newly licensed riders fact sheet (PDF 404KB/1page)

The assistance of the Motorcycle Council of NSW, the Motor Accidents Authority of NSW and Girls Ride Out is gratefully acknowledged.

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