Driving Tutors and how to choose them.
Most people think that all driving instructors are the same and all of them will probably teach you to drive in the exact same way. This couldn’t be further than the truth because instructors are completely different despite receiving the same training when they initial passed their instructor examinations.
It’s also assumed that older drivers are more experienced even in terms of instructors. That isn’t necessarily the case with only a small percentage of driving instructors taking further development training once they have passed their instructor exams. More experienced does not necessarily mean better though.
The law states there is no requirement for any instructor to continue any training once they are fully qualified so it is easy to see the methods of those being qualified for a significant period of time becoming somewhat out of date. There are refresher courses available to all instructors but the small percentage that do further their careers with additional training are likely to be the best in the industry to learn from.
Provisional driving instructors, also known as PDI’s, are legally allowed to take on paid work despite not being fully qualified. Provided they are registered with the UK’s governing body, the DVSA, then they will have had a criminal record check, otherwise known as a background check, to ensure they are able to work with the public & approved to drive.
A PDI is required to display a Pink badge in their vehicle whilst teaching students. The alternative to the PDI is the ADI, this instructor is the Authorised Driving Instructor. An ADI is fully qualified & has passed all examinations successfully. The ADI will be required to display a green badge in their vehicle window whilst giving driving lessons.
The DVSA state there is around 40,000 instructors endorsed and enlisted inside the UK, as we said not every one of those educators are completely qualified some are just in part qualified and have not finished the examinations yet. Therefore as you can see there’s a major distinction in the level of driving instructor training that you simply cannot see.
At best all you can do is ensure that you are enrolling with a fully qualified instructor & if he or she comes highly recommended then you can rest assured you will be okay.
It is absolutely prescribed that before you get into any vehicle with a driving instructor that you check that they are displaying the relevant green or pink identification badge as required by law.
Driving Instructors will operate in one of two ways, they will either be solo self-employed, operating as a sole trader where they will be responsible for all aspects of the business including obtaining their own clients or they will work under the umbrella of a driving school who will handle all the administration side of the job for them.
Those instructors working under the umbrella of a driving school will need to operate under the driving schools own conduct procedures & guidelines as well as other industry related codes & conducts. It is conceivable therefore that a driving school instructor appears to be the best choice if you were comparing whether to choose a sole trader instructor or a school instructor.