How to choose a driving instructor
Choosing a driving instructor is a big decision and making the correct one can be difficult.
Where do you start?
What do I ask?
How much will it cost?
Can I trust them?
Where to start is the easy bit, you can search online or look in the local business directory. If you search online like most people do, make certain you narrow your search criteria down to driving lesson or driving instructor in your town, otherwise you will end up with pages of driving schools in faraway places. Some times the best way is to ask friends or families, who may have used this driving school or instructor before, and can recommend them.
What to ask is important, you need to know if they are qualified to teach, they should have a green badge in their car, and this should be displayed whenever they provide paid lessons, this is law. If they hold a pink badge they are a trainee, but are still allowed to give driving lessons for money. You should also ask what their pass rate is, this should be above the national average for the driving test, which is 43% and what is their grade this should be 4, 5 or 6 the higher the better. If they are not able to answer your questions then don’t book your lesson with this instructor or driving school.
Cost is important, but cheap deals should be avoided as this may indicate that the instructor is desperate for work, not a good sign. Try to negotiate a block booking, so ask for 10% if you book a block of say 10 hours. Some driving schools offer the first hour free or a reduced rate as a taster lesson. The rate nationally can vary from ?18 to ?30, this can depend on where you live so it’s always best to shop around locally. Ask if the car they are using is new, or at least a few years old, if they are driving a 10 year old banger, you want to go elsewhere.
Trust is important, again if your not certain book your first lesson and see if you get on, make a decision after this, always ask your parents to get involved, meet the instructor at your home as they should pick you up from a location of your choice.
Your first lesson
Your instructor will pick you up from your home, school or place of work. Your driving instructor will then explain to you how your driving course is going to work. What to prepare for how to study for the theory test, there will be a lot going on in your first lesson, so a two hour session is usually the norm. You will driven somewhere away from busy streets, so you do not have to deal with any complex traffic situations on your first lesson. Bring along or wear some sensible shoes that will make using the foot controls easier. More information on your first driving lesson will be continued in this blog.
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