By DCB Editorial, August 2, 2022
Learning to drive can be a long, drawn-out process. You pick up a quality used car to practice in, you get your L plates, and you’re ready to go – but if you don’t have the right instructor, then things might progress slowly. As such, it’s worth spending a bit of time vetting your instructor to make sure that they’re really right for the job.
So, exactly how do you check that a driving instructor is right for you? Let’s look at a few steps worth taking.
Check the DVSA
Your driving instructor will need to have gone through the appropriate channels in order to qualify and work as an instructor. Fortunately, there’s an online database that will provide an easy means of checking who’s qualified in your vicinity. Bear in mind that not all instructors will be publicly listed, but you can contact the DVSA to check whether an instructor is qualified.
Check pass rates
It’s worth looking at the pass rate of a driving instructor. The higher, the better – or so you might think. Some driving instructors will select their students according to how confident they are, and how far they’ve already progressed – so you shouldn’t take the figure as too meaningful. If you’re nervous about driving, then you might find that it takes you a few attempts to get through the test. The right instructor should be patient and supportive.
Read online reviews
A good driving instructor will have left a string of satisfied clients in their wake – and many of those clients will have taken to the internet to give their opinions. You can check Facebook, Google, and Trustpilot to see whether a particular instructor is well-liked, and whether they have a particular niche.
Get in-person recommendations
If you have friends or family who’ve had a positive experience with a particular instructor, then you might find that their opinion carries more weight than those of strangers on the internet. Ask around about whether anyone knows a good instructor.
Professionalism
A good driving instructor will tend to present themselves in a professional manner. They’ll return your calls when you try to book a lesson, and they’ll be able to talk you through their plan for progression, and what to expect. Your instructor should be able to give you one-to-one instruction time, and they should give you their full attention, rather than using lesson time to arrange things on their phones.
The vibe
If you get on well with you instructor, then you’re likely to enjoy the time you spend with them. Since you’re going to be spending an hour or so with them every week for more than a year, chemistry is vital. Sometimes, you need to take a risk with someone to find out whether you’re a good match. But, if you decide that you just aren’t getting on with them, don’t be afraid to pull the plug.
