Parents in Newcastle, New South Wales are being offered a free safety course which could help lower the price of car insurance for young drivers.
The Newcastle Roads and Traffic Authority is teaching parents to be better driving instructors for their children.
The decision to target parents came after research showed young drivers who spent more time at the wheel as students were significantly less likely to be involved in an accident after passing the driving test.
"The research in other countries, and certainly the reason why Australia has taken on this new legislation, is because it appears to work," said Newcastle Road Safety Officer, Angela McGrath.
"It has worked for others and hopefully it will work for us."
The course helps parents plan structured lessons that will be of greater value to their child's progress. It also aims to give them greater confidence as instructors, and prepares them for the stress that can develop with this kind of teaching.
"Being able to share experiences with other parents and other people that are going through the same thing as them, really gives them confidence to go into this the right way," said McGrath.
As well as cutting the number of young people killed or injured on the region's roads, it is thought the course could lead to cheaper car insurance for drivers starting out.
And for Newcastle parents, many of whom subsidise car insurance for young drivers in their families, news of a potential premiums discount will be all it takes to get them into class.