Approved Driving Instructors

With 42000 Approved Driving Instructors registered in the UK how can you choose an instructor who is right for you? Remember to get to test standard and beyond you could be with your instructor for months. A one on one relationship in a car has to be a good one for the student to learn. As a student you have to feel comfortable and respect your instructor. This relationship has to be a professional one at all times but that doesn’t mean you cannot have a laugh when learning. Will the instructor allow music on in the car for example if you feel it will keep you relaxed.

The first thing to note is even after you have chosen your instructor you are not obliged to stay with them if you are not happy with them. It is your money, so it is your choice. Do not accept sub standard tuition. You should have a reliable instructor, who turns up as arranged, who instructs for the full amount of time you have paid for and who instructs in a style that suits you best.

If you are not happy air your concerns with them directly or take the matter to their franchise head office if they have one. An instructor should be able to adapt to various learning styles but we are not all mind readers so if we ask if you are happy or understand what’s being taught please do not say yes if you you are not. A good instructor should listen and adapt to your needs.

Choosing The Right Driving Instructor

But how should you choose your instructor in the first place. My first bit of advice is to ask around your friends or family if they would recommend someone they have personally had experience with. This isn’t just a recommendation as the instructors style might suit them but not you. Ask them how they were during lessons. Did they listened and were responsive to their needs. Ask them how they instructed ie using iPads or drawings or words. We all respond to different styles so ask how their style was.

With or without personal recommendation look up the individual recommendations the instructor has online. This could be google recommendations or trust pilot or Facebook reviews. Are all of their reviews 5 star? What kind of instructor do the reviews say they are? Are they patient, constructive, relaxed, fun, etc? What kind if traits are you looking for in an instructor and are these traits listed in their personal recommendations?

Questions to Ask your driving instructor

You can also ask questions to the instructor on what grade instructor they are and when was their last standards check. How long have they been an instructor? What is their pass rate? How many hours on average do they take to get a student to test? All of these things in abstract may not be important but I would gauge it on their transparency in answering the question more than the answers themselves. Do you want an evasive instructor or an upfront one?

In essence only you know what you are looking for in an instructor but please please do not base your decision purely on price. Cheap doesn’t always mean good (rarely does in any walk of life). You want to be taught how to drive in the safest way possible not by cutting corners or saving money.

Good luck in finding the right instructor for you!