Questions To Ask Your Prospective Driving Instructor

Selecting the right instructor is always going to be the first step you take when you decide to learn how to drive, so it is important that you pick somebody who falls within your budget, has the flexibility required to provide lessons when you are able to take them and has a teaching style that gels with the way that you like to learn things.

The following are all useful questions to ask when you make first contact, to ensure you find an instructor who is right for you.

How Much do You Charge?

If you haven’t been able to find out the price of the lessons beforehand this is the very first question that you should ask. The answer will let you decide if the instructor falls within your budget, plus you may find out that there are offers that you can take advantage of, such as discounts for new students or on block booking.

How Long Are Your Lessons?

Generally speaking, you should find that most driving instructors will conduct lessons in hour-long blocks, but it may be an idea to ask if it is possible to book multiple blocks to make longer lessons. You should also ask if you will be required to drive to and from other students’ homes as part of your allotted time, as this could distract away from your own lessons and may make you more nervous when you take the wheel.

Will We Train on Driving Test Routes?

It is crucial that your instructor has knowledge of the driving test route that is relevant to you, as you will want to spend a little bit of time on it, particularly as you come closer to taking your practical test. This may be an issue if you are looking at instructors from further afield, which makes it all the more important that you find out about the level of local knowledge that your instructor brings to the table.

Will I Take My Test In Your Car?

There can be few things more disorientating for learner drivers than showing up for their tests to drive in cars that they are unfamiliar with. Clutch bite points will change and a lot of the little things that you will have picked up during your lessons will be a little bit different. Make sure to confirm that the car you learn is will also be the one that you get tested in and confirm whether or not there are any charges related to using that car for your test.

What Is Your Pass Rate?

You will want to know that you are receiving quality instruction from the off, so it is a good idea to speak about the driving instructor’s pass rate. The national average lies somewhere in the 50% region, so ideally you will be looking for somebody who can exceed this. It may also be an idea to ask if you can speak to any previous students to find out more about teaching styles, though you may find that a lot of instructors are not comfortable with this.