Are all driving instructors the same?

Certainly not! Read on...

We start with 'PDIs'. That stands for Potential Driving Instructors. A PDI can be someone starting out in the industry with a good and honest intent to become a fine driving instructor, whilst giving tuition on a temporary licence until qualified. Unfortunately though,a great many have responded to the many adverts on TV and radio believing that becoming a driving instructor is a get rich quick scheme. How wrong they are! (See below) Although PDIs are not qualified and have probably never taught anyone to drive before, they are allowed to charge learner drivers for driving lessons. A lot of multi-car driving schools use these PDIs as there are plenty of them available. You will be charged the same for your lesson and probably won't even be told that the person 'teaching you to drive' isn't qualified. I support initiatives to require PDIs to inform their pupils of their status. I have no problem with PDIs giving tuition should someone require it as long as their status has been disclosed.

After qualifying a grade system applies, which the DSA regularly monitors.

Grades 1 - 3 range from dangerous to substandard, these instructors have a set time to improve or they will be removed from the register.

Grade 4 is adequate - these instructors are just above the substandard level. Most driving instructors in the UK are grade 4 instructors.

Grade 5 is good. These instructors are more dedicated and have reached a higher level. There a quite a few good Grade 5 instructors around Derby.

Grade 6 is excellent. Only 7% of instructors achieve this grade, it is considered an accolade within the industry.

Beyond these grades some very dedicated instructors gain further qualifications. A few will have the Diploma in Driving Instruction (accredited by Middlesex University) or a City and Guilds Teaching certificate. Some might even have both and perhaps additional qualifications.

So driving instructors certainly aren't all the same.

5 Star Instructors *****

One way of fooling the public into thinking that they are getting the best instructors is to advertise them as '5 Star Instructors'. There is no such thing as a '5 Star Instructor' and it is not uncommon for driving schools to use this gimmick, when in reality the majority of '5 Star Instructors' are in fact Grade 4. Beware!!

Have you seen those attractive adverts where you train to be a driving instructor and earn a fortune?

Scroll down and read this before you are parted from your money.

Extract from Driving Instructors Association

Now lets consider the pass rates for the various driving instructor exams as referred to in the above article.

Lets say 100 people respond to these tempting adverts and pay £4000 each. That's £400,000.

50% fail the theory test - that leaves 50. Of those 60% fail the driving instructor's driving test - that leaves 20. Of those 70% fail the test of ability to give driving instruction - that leaves 6.

Therefore of the 100 that part with £4,000 each only six qualify. The other 94 people have lost £376,000 between them.

The six that have qualified are now new instructors with no experience.They will have to offer cut price lessons to attract pupils as they have no track record,or pay a driving school large franchise fees to be provided with pupils. Some will not survive.

Are you still attracted by those TV adverts?

Peter Jackson Dip.DI Cert Maths (Open)

www.peterjackson.org.uk