Choosing a Driving Instructor

You’ve probably heard of a lot of stories regarding driving instructors so this post is to help give you some clarification.

Different types of driving instructors.

There are ADIs and PDIs.

An ADI is an Approved Driving Instructor. An approved driving instructor or fully qualified driving instructor would have passed all three tests and will usually have a wealth of experience in teaching people to drive and should have a green badge displayed at the front of the windscreen.

A PDI is a Potential Driving Instructor. A potential driving instructor or trainee is yet to pass the final test in becoming an ADI and may not have as much experience in teaching people to drive but will be working towards their final exam and PDIs tend to be far more enthusiastic about teaching people to drive and may charge a lot less. They should have a pink badge displayed on the front windscreen.

The three tests that is needed to pass in order to become an ADI is

  1. The theory test or part 1 which is made up of 100 questions to be answered with a minimum pass rate of 85%.
  2. The second test or part 2 is the driving test which is an hours long with a maximum of 6 driver faults allowed.
  3. The third is the teaching test or part 3 which is when the examiner plays a role of a pupil for the first part of the part 3 and then a different pupil with different needs for the second part. The PDI will need to assess the needs of examiner/pupil and help accordingly.

Once they have successfully passed all three tests then they become an ADI.

Driving instructors are pretty much always self employed so you may find that they work independently or are part of a large driving school. When contacting the instructor or school you can ask whether they are an ADI or PDI.

Lesson prices can vary especially in different parts of the UK and can also vary whether you choose a manual or an automatic car (automatic tends to be a little more expensive).

Sometimes the best way to choose a driving instructor can be via word of mouth. So if you have friends or family that have been happy with their driving instructor then you can ask them if they are happy to recommend them.

Whether you choose to find one yourself or have one recommended to you it’s always a good idea to have a chat with your driving instructor before you start your lessons so you can ask any questions then.