Driving Instructors
Instruct individuals and groups in the theory and application of driving motor vehicles.
A day of lessons in the dual-control car
You are a driving instructor with a dual-control car and four lessons booked today, each with a different learner and a different level of confidence. It is 8am. Your first learner, a nervous adult called Tomasz, is waiting at the kerb. The car is checked, the sky is clouding over and you have a full day of lessons.
Choose what you would do. Then see what happens. There are often good reasons for each choice.
I didn't sleep last night. My partner and I had a huge fight and I just want to get through this lesson. I know I'm not at my best, but I've already paid. Can we just go?
Start the lesson as normal, because he has paid and says he wants to go through with it
Tomasz makes two mistakes that you have to correct with the brake, and he leaves shaken. Driving tired and upset puts the learner and everyone else on the road at risk.
Ask how he is feeling, and if he's too tired, suggest a quiet plan or a rebook
He chooses a short, easy session in quiet streets, and goes home to rest. He appreciates being asked and returns the next week fresh. Safety comes before schedule.
Tell him you'll cancel and he'll need to pay again for a new lesson
Tomasz goes home angry and feels punished. You made a safe choice, but a short conversation might have found a way to keep the lesson useful.
Jack is ready for his test, isn't he? He drives me everywhere and he's been practising for months. Book him in for next week, please. I'm sure he'll be fine.
Agree to book him in, because his father knows his driving and you don't want to upset him
Jack fails the test on something you'd noticed in lessons. Everyone is disappointed, including you. Telling the truth early would have helped.
Say you'll make the decision on your own, and not discuss it any further with Mr Davies
Mr Davies feels dismissed and takes his business elsewhere. You were right to keep your judgement independent, but the conversation could have been warmer.
Share what you've seen, what Jack still needs to work on, and a plan to get there
Mr Davies listens and agrees to wait a fortnight. Jack practises the weak spots and passes. A clear and honest picture is more useful to a parent than a yes.
That car just cut right in front of me! I'm so sorry, I should have seen it. I'm shaking. Did I do something wrong? Please say I didn't mess up. I can't drive any more today.
Tell her she did nothing wrong and ask her to keep driving to build her confidence back
Lucinda keeps going but her hands tremble, and she makes small errors. You were kind, but she needed a moment to settle before going back out.
Ask her to pull over when it's safe, take a breath, and talk it through together
You go through it calmly. Lucinda sees that she braked well and that the other driver was at fault. She finishes the lesson, shaken but proud, and ready for next time.
Tell her it was partly her fault and she needs to concentrate better in future
Lucinda goes silent, drives badly for the rest of the lesson and cancels the next one. Blaming someone who has just had a fright rarely teaches anything useful.
How it went
The last lesson ends at five, the car is parked and your notes are done. Driving instructors need patience, calm, and a willingness to say honest things kindly. Could you sit next to someone who is nervous, and stay steady for them?
This is a simplified, fictional situation to help you explore. It is not professional instruction or a test of your ability.
Case study: The learner who froze at roundabouts
A fictional case set in a small driving school with a dual-control car, working out of a fictional suburban town.
The situation
Ravi, a driving instructor at Kestrel Driving School, was teaching Anneke, a 17-year-old who drove well in quiet streets but froze at every roundabout. She stopped completely, and once a driver behind her sounded their horn. She apologised so many times that she got worse. Her father had booked a test in three weeks and kept asking Ravi whether she was ready. Ravi had a lesson slot left and a car full of fuel.
What they did
Ravi did not push her into the next roundabout. He drove to a quiet, empty car park and asked Anneke to describe what she was thinking at the entry. She said she was worried that she would not see someone in time. They broke it down together in plain words, one thing to look at at a time, and practised at a very quiet roundabout first. He told her father honestly that she was improving but that a rescheduled test might be better.
How it turned out
Anneke drove through a busy roundabout the following week without stopping. The test was moved by a month, and she passed. Her father admitted later he had been worried about the cost of delay, not about her driving.
What would you do?
- Why did Ravi start by asking Anneke what she was thinking?
- What would you say to a parent who wants a test date you do not think is right?
- How would you stay calm when a learner makes a mistake?