Driver Instructor Training
In this mordern world driving has become an essential skill. Every year the number
of lessons taken by each learner to pass the driving test is increasing. Therefore
demand for driving lessons and professionally qualified instructors is growing rapidly
with many instructors having waiting lists. (On average learners in Britain take
more than 50 hours of lessons and spend more than £1500 to get their licence). Source
– Learning to Drive Consultation Paper (Dept of Transport 2008)
In addition, every week there seems to be another story in the press, Internet or
on TV about what the Government is planning to do to improve road safety. Whether
it is altering the age for young people to start driving, re-testing older drivers
or retraining those who choose to drive dangerously, there seems no end to the changes
planned. The Government may wish to do all of these things. However, they cannot
action any changes without the crucial work of the driver training industry. This
is what makes it such an exciting time to become a Driving Instructor. If you want
to train to become a driving instructor, you need to be 21 or over and have held
a full driving licence for at least three and a half years.
If you have more than five points on your licence, the Driving Standards Agency
(DSA) may reject your application, so this is something to consider at the very
start.
Approved Driving Instructor (ADI)
The ADI qualification exam has three parts: a computer-based theory test, a practical
driving ability test, and a practical instruction ability test. You must pass all
three parts, in order, within a period of two years. If you don't complete them
all within that time, you'll need to start again from scratch. You can take the
theory test as many times as you need to, but you'll only have three attempts at
each of the practical tests within those two years.
Make sure you've got what it takes
It's not just about formal qualifications. To be a great driving instructor, you
need to know how to motivate your pupils to do their best. You'll have excellent
communication skills and be able to keep a cool head under pressure – even when
someone is driving on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic!