how to find a good driving instructor

I am often asked about what are the things students are ought to be looking out for when selecting a driving instructor. I'd say that the most important things are:

1. That you instructor is fully ADI qualified, with a full, valid instructor's licence - this means that s/he is aware of, and meeting the DSA standards and therefore is able to teach you all you need to know to pass your driving test. Ask the instructor to give you their licence number or check their licence when you first meet them - it should be displayed on their windscreen.

2. Ensure that your driving instructor is a full licence holder - there are a lot of instructors who work with a trainee licence, meaning they have not passed all their tests yet, are still in training and lack experience. A trainee instructor will have a red triangle badge displayed on their windscreen, while a fully qualified instructor has a green badge.

3. Try to aim for an instructor who works in your local area - learning in familiar surroundings is reassuring, and will help you pass your test. Check the DSA website for registered instructors who work in your local area (postcode search):
http://finddrivinginstructor.direct.gov.uk/DSAFindNearestWebApp/findNearest.form?lang=en

4. Do your research - a reliable, established instructor will have a neat website, a phone number (can be either a mobile phone number or a landline number), and will be able to provide references on request.

5. Ask the instructor what car they are driving, as you should put your safety first. Ideally, they will have a relatively new car (0-2 years old), that is fully insured for the purposes of student instruction. Plus, a good driving instructor will have a liability insurance that will cover various eventualities. It may sound petty asking about these things, however, you don't want to end up with a huge debt should you be unlucky enough to have an accident.

6. Don't aim for the cheapest driving instructor possible - you get what you pay for. The average price for a driving lesson in London is £20-£25 per hour. When someone charges less, from ym experience, there is often something wrong with them - either they don't have enough students because they get no referrals and have to charge less, or they cut corners on insurance and their ongoing training and therefore are not able to keep their knowledge up to date, or for some other reason that doesn't agree with me. Very often, their students fail their driving tests repeatedly because they are not adequately prepared, and subsequently change the instructor. Keep in mind that it is easier to learn from a good instructor from the very beginning than to correct the ingrained mistakes once they become habit.

7. Ask your family and friends for advice, they may know a good instructor they are able to recommend.

I hope this helps!
Kirill
www.borntodriveschool.com