The short answer? Both – but not equally.
Recording log book hours with your parents is convenient and affordable, but lessons with a licensed driving instructor provide structured guidance, safety experience, and bonus log book credits that can make a huge difference in how quickly you gain your learner licence.
Still, both options have their benefits. Below, we’ll explain the key differences between practising with parents and professional instructors.
Driving With Parents
There are several benefits to driving with parents. You might feel more comfortable with them, and the main benefit is cost. Driving instructors charge for their services, so learning with your parents can seem like an ideal way to save money while completing supervised driving.
However, there are also issues with learning to drive with parents. They may not be up to date with current traffic laws, speed management techniques, or changes to the learner driver log book system.
Parents might intuitively know how to drive, but teaching it is another story. In many cases, parents unintentionally pass on unsafe habits to learner drivers.
The British School of Motoring found that the top five bad habits commonly passed on were:
- Forgetting to check mirrors
- Crossing hands while steering
- Speeding
- Tailgating too close
- Answering phones while driving
Parents also tend to be more emotional or overprotective, which can make learners feel nervous or uncomfortable. Still, they play an important role in helping their children gain supervised driving experience, especially once learners have had lessons with a licensed driving instructor and feel more confident behind the wheel.
For more on this topic, see Why Parents May Not Make the Best Driving Instructors.
Driving With an Instructor
Naturally, at LTrent we recommend using a licensed driving instructor for as many log book hours as possible. Our qualified instructors provide structured, professional driving lessons that focus on safety, awareness, and real-world readiness, not just passing the test.
LTrent students have a 28% higher chance of passing the driving test than the NSW average. This success comes from learning the Trent Method and completing our Trent On Road Test.
Bonus Log Book Credits
When you take lessons with a licensed driving instructor, each hour counts as three hours in your learner driver log book, up to a total of 10 hours of instruction or 30 bonus log book hours. This bonus log book credit helps reduce the total number of hours you need to complete with parents and allows you to build experience more efficiently.
This can save about 20 hours of actual driving time while still meeting all requirements for your learner licence. It’s a safer, more efficient way to reach your goals and gain confidence on the road.
Beyond Log Book Hours
Professional driving lessons also cover essential topics such as night driving, safe speed management, and defensive driving skills. You’ll also learn about drivers courses like our Safer Drivers Course, which helps learners develop hazard awareness and smarter decision-making on the road.
To book lessons and start gaining structured driving hours, visit our lesson packages today.
Should You Choose Parents or an Instructor?
In an ideal world, you’d use both. Professional driving lessons teach you proper skills, theory, and safe techniques, while practice with parents helps you build consistency and adapt to real-world conditions.
Combining both ensures a well-rounded experience and better preparation for your Ps, and if you ever transfer an interstate driver licence or enrol in future drivers courses, the habits you build now will serve you for life.
To learn more about helping your teen build safe habits, see What Is the Best Way to Teach a Teenager to Drive? Tips for Parents.
In Summary:
Both parents and instructors play vital roles in helping learner drivers succeed. But professional lessons offer structured training, updated road knowledge, and significant bonus log book hours that make the process faster, safer, and more effective.
Book Driving Lessons today with LTrent Driving School and take the next step towards your Ps with confidence.
