The Personality Traits of a Good Driving Instructor

One of the keys to enjoying successful driving lessons is finding an instructor who you gel with and is capable of providing you with all of the advice you need to prepare you for both your theory and practical exams.

To help you along the way, here is a short list of key personality traits that you should look for in any driving instructor.

Patience

Nerves will always play a part during your driving lessons, so it pays to find an instructor who demonstrates patience during the occasional wobble. Having somebody shouting or getting frustrated at you for not doing something perfectly will only lead to frayed nerves and more mistakes, so ditch any driving instructor that you feel doesn’t treat you properly when you’re in their car.

Reliability

So you’ve booked your driving lesson and its moments before you’re set to start. Suddenly, your driving instructor calls up to say they have to cancel. It is forgivable on the odd occasion, but over time those cancellations will ruin the flow of your lessons and lead to you taking more time to learn. Also, be wary of any instructors who constantly turn up late at your door, as you will find yourself paying for time that you don’t end up getting.

Strong Knowledge

This is an obvious one, but it is still absolutely crucial. If your driving instructor struggles to provide answers to your questions, it is best to move on and find somebody who can. Everybody who teaches people how to drive should be able to tell you anything you need to know about the rules of the road and how to properly operate a vehicle.

Strong Learners

Beyond strong knowledge, a good driving instructor understands that their lessons are learning experiences for them. You should find that your instructor starts adapting to your preferred teaching styles over time. A thirst for knowledge also pays off for instructors as they often need to adapt their lessons to take rule changes and various other issues into account from year to year.

Good Communicators

Having all the knowledge in the world isn’t really helpful if you are unable to communicate it. A good instructor is able to provide concise instructions for you to follow and will also be clear in any explanations provided. Beyond this, a driving instructor should also know when not to speak, ensuring you don’t get distracted while also allowing them to observe your actions.

Confidence

If a driving instructor displays nerves they aren’t exactly going to inspire confidence in anybody who steps into their car. Look for somebody who is assured in what he or she does, without allowing that assuredness to step over into arrogance.

Humour

It always helps to have a bit of a laugh when you’re taking your lessons, as this instantly relaxes you and helps you ease into whatever it is you’re meant to be learning. While not an absolutely essential quality, a good sense of humour on the part of your driving instructor will really help somebody who is struggling with nerves.