Only Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs), and licensed instructors under training, can give instruction for payment. It is illegal for anyone else to charge you for driving lessons. Two types of badge are issued by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) for display in tuition vehicles. A green, octagonal badge shows the driving instructor is fully qualified and approved. A pink, triangular badge shows the driving instructor is licensed under training and is not yet fully qualified.

The DSA monitors the quality of tuition provided by ADIs, and checks them regularly.

Learning to drive can be an expensive business, so it makes sense to choose your driving instructor carefully. Below are some questions you may wish to consider. Always shop around and compare at least two or three instructors in your area.

Questions to Consider

1. Is the driving instructor a fully-qualified Approved Driver Instructor (ADI)? Check for a green, octagonal DSA badge in the front windscreen of the tuition vehicle.

2. If a driving school proposes to use a trainee instructor for part of your driving lessons, what percentage of lessons will be with the trainee and will you pay reduced fees?

3. What is the driving instructor's pass rate for learners sitting the practical test for the first time? Don’t always believe everything they say!

4. Can you have a free or reduced-price initial lesson to see how you get on with the instructor?

5. Don’t imagine that cheapest is best! Only new driving instructors or those that get few recommendations need to discount.

6. How long has the driving instructor been teaching learner drivers?

7. How long, and how much, are driving lessons?

8. Will you get a discount for booking a block of driving lessons in advance?

9. What happens if you need to cancel a pre-arranged lesson?

10. What model of car is used as the tuition vehicle? How old is the tuition vehicle? When will it be changed?

11. Can the driver's seat and steering column of the tuition vehicle be adjusted to suit your height and build? This is particularly important if you are either very tall, or very short.

12. Does the tuition vehicle have safety features such as air bags and side impact protection?

13. Will you get any extras, such as software or study aids to help prepare for the theory test?

14. Will the driving instructor pick you up and drop you off at your home address, or other location that is convenient to you?

15. Will the driving instructor be giving you undivided attention, or will you be expected to either pick up the next pupil or drop off the previous one during the time allocated to your lesson?

16. Is the driving instructor recommended by a relative or close friend?

17. Does the driving instructor smoke in the tuition vehicle(it is against the law to smoke in a tuition vehicle)? This could be important to you if you are a non-smoker.

18? Does the driving instructor speak in a clear and easily understandable way? This may be particularly relevant if English is not your first language.

Jack - ASAP School of Motoring

To book driving lessons with ASAP School of Motoring:

www.asapschoolofmotoring.co.uk

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