One of biggest nation-wide instructor training provider, Red Driving School, went into administration. The number of complaints from disillusioned driving instructors under training is soaring. Driving instructor test failure rate is jaw-dropping. – It sounds like a daunting undertaking to get a decent driving instructor training these days. Here in this post we are going to talk about getting driving instructor training in the UK and…. getting it right.

Before you shell out your hard-earned money to any driving instructor training school, it’s important that you know the reality of the industry and are able to distinguish between providers. So have some patience and do lots of research before making your choice. Read on to know what to look out for.

Don’t Watch TV

We won’t go about the realities of driving instructor industry or dispelling all of those TV advert myths from instructor training companies here. Simply check our dedicated post before you proceed.

Read Between the Lines

Get it? When a driving instructor school promises a guaranteed placement, it doesn’t mean anything near job security, salaried employment or steady supply of work. What they really offer is to take out a franchise with them. Taking out the franchise means you will pay a fee on a monthly basis to a driving school in exchange for the right to use their name, company logo and often a vehicle. Franchise typically involves the responsibility of a franchisor to supply a franchisee with pupils, handle advertising and provide business-related services. The problem with franchise thing though is that you have to pay your franchise fee whether you earn it off your pupils under franchise deal or not. And fees can be high enough to leave you working just to cover the amount. So make sure you fully understand your franchise offer and it is economically viable.

ORDIT or Not?

Once you start looking for a driving instructor provider, you will surely come across the acronym ORDIT. It stands for The Official Register of Driving Instructor Training. The Register was set up by DSA to ensure standards of driving instructor training are met and maintained. It’s voluntary. However, one of the good things about DSA approved providers is that you can complain to DSA if there is a problem with your training. Typically DSA requires ORDIT registered driving schools to establish clear refund and complaint procedures.

Word of Mouth

There are a great many of organisations out there, small and giant, offering a driving instructor training. And it’s a minefield to walk on. The best way to get informed is to ask other approved driving instructors for advice or visit professional internet forums where people speak from their experiences. Below is a link to driving schools reviews:
http://www.drivertrainingtoday.co.uk/forum/index.php/board,296.0.html
You may also wish to consider what Surepass Driving School has to offer. If so, please, go to our previous post here.

For over 14 years now, Surepass driving school has been providing driving instructor training courses across the country. The company is on the Official Register of Driving Instructor Trainers, which ensures DSA learning standards are maintained. That’s one of the reasons the driving school enjoys one of the best pass rates in the UK – 90%, a whooping 67% better performance than the national average.

What can be more reliable than other people’s experiences? So as you search for a driving instructor courses, check here http://www.drivertrainingtoday.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,13992.0.html for internet forum discussions about Surepass.

Surepass adopted a variety of driving instructor training courses to better suit instructors’ needs and means. Below are short descriptions of choices available.

Group Instructor Training Course

If you are a kind of person who likes to study in a group you can sign up to this course. The pack includes 14 day trial offer (which means you can drop the school for any reason without losing money you’ve paid for the course), Part 1 home study pack, 2 days Part 2 training, Part 3 study material and 6 days Part 3 training.

2 days Part 2 training involves 2 x 7 hours in car training over one month period. 6 days Part 3 training includes 4 x 7 hours in car training and 2 x 6 hours classroom training sessions. You can use all your hours the week before your Part 3 test or distribute it over a month.

Group Instructor Training Course cost £800.

One To One Instructor Training Courses

Basically, one to one instructor training courses are geared towards people who prefer tailored tuition and look for extra benefits. Surepass provides three types of individual training courses – silver, gold and platinum. You will receive a standard training course plus benefits such as cash back and guaranteed pass.

Cash back is an option available to those driving instructors who take out a franchise with Surepass once they are qualified. The amount will be deducted from a total of franchise fees helping newly qualified instructors to pay back their training costs and start making profit as soon as possible. £100, £500 and £1000 cash back options are available under silver, gold and platinum choices accordingly.

One of the extra benefits under Platinum course is a guaranteed pass. It allows you to receive silver course as many times as you need, if failed to qualify as a driving instructor within 2 years.

What your costs will be?

Silver – £1490
Gold – £1990
Platinum – £2490

Consider these fees as you go shopping for your driving instructor training courses.

For more information visit Surepass website
Learn what those who were trained by Surepass say about their real life experiences http://www.drivertrainingtoday.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,13992.0.html

Anyone who makes their living by teaching others how to drive will be fully aware of the many hazards on our roads. Tailgating, speeding and overtaking on bends are all frighteningly common problems. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how good a driver you are, if you are unlucky enough to meet someone driving their vehicle recklessly, then you may well be involved in a collision. Even driving instructors will need to make car and accident claims if they are in the wrong place at the wrong time!

And this is why it is so important to have a good standard of protection in place. Many people will simply see insurance as being a legal requirement and a rather expensive necessity; but this is an unhealthy way to think. In the wake of an accident, the quality of your cover really can make all the difference to how quickly you are able to get your life back on track. And if you run your own driving school, then this will be doubly important! For a driving instructor, a car is the singularly most important item to have. And if it is off the road, then your income will immediately grind to a halt.

Of course, anyone will want their vehicle repaired/replaced as quickly as possible after an accident, but if your livelihood depends on it, then it is so much more serious. Some insurance companies will deal with claims far quicker than others and it is well worth looking around. This is where the internet proves to be very useful; not only can we use it to get quotes, but it will also provide us with plenty of information about each insurer!

Many people will make the mistake of trying to find the very cheapest insurance, but this is often a bad idea. There are plenty of companies out there who will offer you cover for a really low price, but at what other cost? Just how comprehensive will your policy be? And how quickly will they deal with any claims? Finding the right insurance isn’t simply about tracking down the lowest quote, there is far more to it all than that.

We all like to find ourselves a bargain whenever we can, but vehicle insurance is very much an exception. So save your ‘penny-pinching’ for other products and concentrate on the quality of your cover instead! Your vehicle is very important to you and keeping it adequately protected is of paramount importance; especially if you are using it to shape the drivers of tomorrow!

Anyone who has driven on our roads will know that a lot of drivers out there suffer from road rage and lack of respect for other road users. This lack of respect induces stress and frustration, which can be eventually a cause of car accidents. That's why AXA Respect On The Road campaign is so important.

AXA put together a dedicated website to promote the campaign. It features driver surveys, videos and 'I respect the road' blog. AXA is trying to encourage the public to discuss the issue of disrespect on the roads and see what can be done about it.

One of the latest driver surveys carried out as part of the campaign helped to find out what drivers think of as the most disrespectful things one driver can do to another. Honking in anger was reported to be the most inconsiderate thing. Half of drivers surveyed reported they felt stressed when other drivers press their horn, especially at the traffic lights. Interestingly, Fiat Punto was voted as the car with the most stress-inducing horn.

Visit AXA website https://www.axarespectontheroad.com to get more information about the campaign, take part in surveys and share your experiences and comments. Let's help bring respect back to our roads.

Sponsored Post

While it’s become a common feature for modern car manufacturers to use space saver tyres, Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) guideline clearly states that the tyre cannot be fitted to a leaner driver car. Following DSA notice we feel it necessary to remind all driving instructors and their pupils of essential vehicle safety requirements at the driving test.

1. Vehicle recall
   DSA may prevent a candidate from taking practical driving test when the car is subject to a manufacturer recall or safety notice. If the recall occurs, the car automatically becomes unsuitable for the test unless a candidate provides evidence showing the test car has been checked and rectification is not necessary. If you car does need remedial work, you should rebook your driving test.
2. Electronically operated parking brakes
   It is one of the key driving skills to be able to coordinate the gas, clutch and parking brakes control, which a candidate should demonstrate on the driving test. Electronically operated parking brakes make it much easier to handle so the test cars with electronic handbrakes are not suitable for the test.
3. Space saver tyres
   You should ensure the test vehicle is fitted with the same size tyre on the same axle and that tyres are not speed rated. No space saver tyres permitted!

A test car should also be fitted with a speedometer that measures in mph and km/h, L-plates on the front and rear, a passenger head restraint, an interior mirror and seatbelt for the examiner.

Good luck on your driving test!

The reason behind the introduction of this part to the practical driving test is to assess the competence of a learner driver to handle driving through the route independently. Please, be aware that it is not to assess your ability to remember directions. If you get lost, it won’t be considered as a driving fault as long as your driving is safe.

If you do go off the pre-determined route, your examiner will help you find your way back. You may also ask the examiner to remind directions while driving. This new section is not expected to add to the driving test duration.

Good luck on your driving test!

ADI vs. PDI

For starters, any learner driver must know what the abbreviations above stand for. ADI is an Approved Driving Instructor. This qualification means a person has passed exams to be a professional driving instructor and is registered with the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). ADIs display their green licence (octagon) on the windscreen of their tuition vehicles. PDI stands for Potential Driving Instructors. They are licenced instructors under training who are allowed by the DSA to provide training for payment. PDIs must display their pink licence (triangle) on the windscreen of their tuition vehicles. You can understand the difference between “green and pink” for yourself. Obviously, ADIs charge more for driving lessons because they are more experienced.

How much?

The majority of learners start shopping for driving lessons with this question in mind. This approach actually turns your shopping into looking for the cheapest option. But if you want to find a good driving instructor, that option would not suit you at all. You should run away from two extremes – overpriced driving lessons and underpriced “special offers”. The national average for a driving lesson is currently around £17-£20. So make sure you shop around for the average.

Pass Guarantee

There is no such thing as pass guarantee. However, it is wise to ask your potential driving instructor about his or her driving test pass rate. Of course, you have no way of checking whether quoted pass rate is true. Yet, it is a good way of spotting a driving instructor who makes unreliable statements. The national driving test pass rate is 45.65%. So if your driving instructor is able to provide anything near this figure, you are in good hands.

What Is Your Grade?

Asking a driving instructor about his or her grade is one of the best ways to assess their competence. Every four years ADIs are graded by the DSA for the quality of driving tuition. Six point scale is used for assessment. Look for the following grades:

• grade 4 is competent
• grade 5 is good
• grade 6 is a very high standard

We’ve covered four basic things to consider while choosing a driving instructor. Although qualification, driving lesson cost, pass rate and instructor’s grade are all very important and relevant choice factors, personal feel is crucial. Your driving instructor can be a 6-grade ADI with the highest pass rate, but if you don’t seem to hit it off well, you probably need to try another one.

Statutory fees

Your overall expenses can be divided into two groups. One group includes statutory fees. In other words, fees you will pay to driving authorities. Your first pounds will go to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for your provisional licence. You are not legally allowed to start learning to drive without provisional licence. So you will need to pay £50 to get started. The next fee is £31 – that much you pay to take your theory test. Be aware that if you fail to pass your test, the fee is not refundable. You will have to pay again to get a second chance. Finally, you will have to part with £62 before you can book your practical driving test. It works the same way as with your theory test. Failed test means you’ve lost your money. There is no way to cut on your statutory fees other than passing your tests with flying colors.

Tuition fees

It is this portion of your expenses that may greatly vary. The total of your tuition expenses will much depend on a driving school or driving instructor you choose and your driving experience.

Choosing the right driving school or driving instructor is crucial if you want to get value for money. Make sure you avoid two equally disadvantageous extremes – overpriced offerings from heavily advertised schools and underpriced bargains from self-employed driving instructors. What you need to search for is a driving school that is able to provide a combination of the highest pass rate and reasonable price for value. But what is that reasonable price?

We have done a research on the web, asking industry professionals and driving instructors about a basic cost of driving lesson. The cheapest you can find is about £10-12 and the most expensive may reach £25. Remember the extremes? Right! We are looking for a reasonable average, which is actually a fair market price. That average stands at about £17-19.

Having calculated an average fee for driving lessons, we now need to find out how many lessons you need to get enough practice for your practical driving test.  We will look at a learner who is between 17 and 25 years of age with no or little driving experience. Based on our extensive teaching experience we can say that a person from this group will need to get up to 25 lessons. With 25 driving lessons and £17-19 average, we arrive at £425-475 to complete your driving courses.

Note that more experienced learners will need fewer driving lessons so their expenses would be lower.  More lessons are required for learners who are too nervous or timid. Another thing that can add to the number of lessons is your age. Experienced driving instructors say that learners older than 25 basically need to get more hours of training.

Driving lessons are not the last thing a learner has to pay for. Obviously, you will need plenty of training aids to get ready for your driving test. It will depend on each individual learner how many aids he or she would use. The basic cost of training aids that you REALLY need is around £10-15.

Interested to have a look at the total?

Statutory fees: £143
Training aids: £15
Driving lessons: £425-£475
TOTAL: £583-£633

Cutting down on your costs

We said earlier that a key to saving your money is choosing a driving school offering a reasonable price for driving tuition. Instead of bombarding you with sales pitches, we invite you look at what Surepass driving school has to offer and think for yourself.
Operating a vast network of schools and employing its own staff of qualified driving instructors, Surepass is able to charge from £15.5 a lesson. That is almost £5 less than an industry average so you can save up to £125 with your entire driving course. For this money you are getting tuition from reliable driving instructors who are carefully assessed by the company. Instead of one-size-fits-all approach, each learner can get a tailored course based on previous experience and personal abilities.  School will also provide the training aides you need for your theory test for free. And, finally, Surepass uses the new air conditioned Vauxhall Corsa for their driving lessons, making your driving experience a pleasure.

The choice is yours!

Stay tuned to driving-instructor-trainings.co.uk for driving news and helpful articles for learners and driving instructors.

Provisional Licence

For starters, you need to apply for a provisional licence. You are not allowed to take driving lessons until your provisional licence has been accepted and in your possession. Application process is easy. You simply need to fill out a driving licence application from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and pay a provisional licence fee of £ 50. Provisional licence, however, puts drivers under certain restrictions.

1. You must clearly display L-plates on the front and rear of your car.
2. You can’t drive a car alone. Learner driver must be supervised by a full driving licence holder aged at least 21.
3. Learner drivers are not allowed to use motorways.

Driving test

If you are not the Queen, who’s not required to have a driving licence in order to drive a car, you will have to pass the UK driving test before you can get your desired full driving licence. Worried about deteriorating road safety, Driving Standard Agency (DSA) continues its efforts to improve the ways learner drivers are tested. We have seen some changes introduced over the past several years and further revisions are on the way. Below we will try to clarify the driving test process and new DSA requirements. The driving test currently consists of two basic parts: theory test and practical driving test.

Theory Test

Your theory test will include two parts: multiple-choice questions test and hazards perception test. These are not separate parts. If you pass one and fail the other, that means you’ve screwed up the whole test and you will have to start again. A fee to take the theory test is £31. If you fail the test, you lose your money with it.

During the multiple-choice part you will be asked 50 questions in 57 minutes, which makes about one minute per question. To pass the test, you need to have 43 right answers. Since last September, DSA introduced one case study-style question to this part. There is nothing new about case studies as you’ve had plenty of them at school. The hazard perception tests starts a few minutes after multiple choice questions part. You will be shown 14 driving episodes with developing hazards. You task will be to identify the hazard as soon as possible. The highest score you can get for each hazard is five. The pass mark is 50 out of 75.

Practical Driving Test

Once you’ve passed theory test you are allowed to take practical driving test that is also made up of two parts. Before you can do that, you need to complete your driving lessons schedule and pay a fee of £62 (weekday fee). The first part of driving test was introduced in 2003 and is called show me/tell me. Your examiner will ask you some maintenance related questions. It is called show me/tell me because you will be challenged with one “show me” question and one “tell me” question. For example, your examiner may ask you to show him where to check oil level and then ask to tell him how to change a tyre. If you fail to answer either one or both questions, this would count as 1 driving fault. After show me/tell me challenge you will proceed to your practical driving test. What happens during the test? Your examiner will give you directions which you should follow. You driving will demonstrate to the examiner how safe you are on the road and how well you can read the road signs. You’ll be also asked to perform manoeuvres including reversing around the corner, turning in the road and reverse parking. A candidate is allowed to make no more than 15 driving faults while the test lasts 40 minutes. Here is important update for those are only planning to get their driving licence. As part of Learning to Drive Programme initiated by DSA, from October 2010, a new part will be introduced to the practical driving test, Assessment of Competence to Drive Independently. During this part, the candidates will be driving on their own without directions from examiner. DSA says the new part will not add extra time to the test.

This post covers basic steps you need to take to get your full driving licence in the UK. Follow updates on the blog to get some useful advice on how to deal with your theory and practical tests and ensure your first pass.

The company made a 2.2m loss in the last 16 weeks

The administrators say it is business as usual and they think they will find a buyer.

NO NO NO,

RED Driving School is DOOMED

Customers

Do not make any advance payments for driving lessons or Instructor training courses to Red Driving School you could end up loosing your money, if you have already made an advance payment get your training done as quickly as possible whilst you have the chance.

Potential Buyers of Red WATCH OUT

Be aware, Red Driving school has taken millions of pounds in advance payments for driving lessons and driving Instructor courses, they are probably liable to much more than what is on their books. Look at the terrible reputation they have on the web, it is unlikely anyone is going to be foolish enough to pay them anything in advance, so all you will have is no income and plenty of prepaid training to do.