What Are the Main Types of Driving Instructors?

To become a driving instructor is to help people to learn to drive safely and confidently. There are several types of driving instructors for different types of vehicles and levels of experience. The main types of driving instructors are:

• Car driving instructor: These instructors teach pupils to drive a standard car (manual) and often teach them to pass the practical driving test. The focus is on the basic skills of driving (safety) and the rules of the road. A car driving instructor might be self-employed or employed by a driving school.
• Motorcycle Instructor: Students learn to ride motorcycles from instructors. They teach their learners how to balance, not crash, and actually handle a motorcycle that has only two wheels. Motorcycle instructors help their students pass the Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) and the actual motorcycle driving test.
• Bus and Coach Driving Instructor: A Driving Instructor who trains people to drive buses and coaches. Focus on driving larger vehicles, passenger safety and road rules applicable to public transport vehicles. This role requires a specialised qualification.
• Truck and Lorry Instructor: Truck or lorry instructor is a profession where an educator trains learners on how to drive heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). Truck drivers instruct learners on the skills to handle large commercial vehicles, and this includes vehicle control, cargo handling, and road safety precautions, among others.
• Fleet Driving Instructor: Company or business drivers are trained by these types of instructors to improve their driving skills and follow company rules for safe driving and road safety.
• Driving Instructor Trainer: Driving instructor trainers train people to become driving instructors. They give advanced training on teaching techniques, vehicle safety, and the specific requirements of the Driving Standards Agency for becoming an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) in the UK.

What Does a Driving Instructor Do?

Instructors play a key role in developing learners for driving, thus making them safe drivers, pass their test, and become perfect road users. A driving instructor’s job is to teach drivers practical skills, make sure learners understand driving rules and regulations, and build confidence in new drivers. The core responsibility of a driving instructor is to:

• Assessing Learners’ Skills: At the start of lessons, instructors assess the learner’s current driving ability, whether they are beginners or more advanced. This helps to determine the right starting point for the lessons and tailor the instruction to each learner’s needs.
• Teaching Practical Driving Skills: Driving instructors teach learners how to operate a vehicle safely and effectively. This includes starting and stopping, steering, changing gears (for manual cars), using mirrors, parking, and understanding road signs and signals.
• Teaching Road Safety and Rules: In addition to practical skills, instructors teach the rules of the road, including speed limits, lane discipline, roundabouts, and the importance of road safety. They also educate learners on the Highway Code, which is essential for passing the theory test and driving safely.
• Building Confidence: Learning to drive can be stressful for some students, especially beginners. Instructors help build the confidence of their learners by providing encouragement, breaking down complex skills, and creating a supportive learning environment.
• Providing Feedback and Evaluation: After each lesson, driving instructors provide feedback to help learners improve their skills. They assess the learner’s strengths and weaknesses, focusing on areas that need improvement, such as observation skills, handling difficult situations, or understanding traffic patterns.
• Preparing Learners for the Driving Test: A key role of a driving instructor is to prepare learners for their practical driving test. This includes mock tests, helping learners perfect their manoeuvres, and ensuring they are familiar with the format and expectations of the actual test.
• Ensuring Vehicle Safety: Instructors ensure that the car used for lessons is roadworthy, safe, and meets legal requirements. This includes regular maintenance checks and making sure the vehicle is properly insured and equipped with dual controls for safety.
• Teaching Defensive Driving: Defensive driving is a critical aspect of safe driving. Instructors teach learners how to anticipate and react to potential hazards, how to maintain safe distances from other vehicles, and how to stay calm and in control in challenging driving situations.
• Tailoring Lessons to Individual Needs: Every learner is different, so driving instructors must tailor their lessons to meet the needs of each individual. Some students may require more time on certain skills, such as parallel parking or motorway driving, while others may need extra support to build confidence.
• Safety of the Vehicle:

1. The car that we are using for lessons is checked by our instructors on a regular basis to make sure that the car is road-worthy, safe, and meets all the legal requirements.
2. Before the lessons start, the car is tested on some issues like the light is working, the breaks, the condition of the number plate, the steering wheel, etc.
3. The car is also well-insured by the school. It is equipped with dual controls, which the instructor in the car controls, so if something happens, the instructor can control the car by pressing on the brakes or steering the wheel. The student can concentrate on driving without having any worries.
4. Approach To Teaching Defensive Driving: Defensive driving is very important for driving safely. Teachers give tips to students on how they can anticipate and respond to hazards, maintain an adequate distance from other cars and stay calm and in control in any adverse driving conditions.

• Adapting Lessons To Needs: Everyone is different, so driving instructors must adapt lessons to learners’ needs. Some people need more practice on one skill, such as parallel parking or motorway driving, and others may require more support to build confidence.

Average Driving Instructor Salary

The typical salary of a UK driving instructor depends on factors like the location of the driving school, the years of experience, whether the instructor works for a big driving school, or whether they are self-employed. In the following paragraphs, I will give a general idea of what a driving instructor can earn. 

• Trainee Driving Instructor: Trainee driving instructors, who are still completing their training and qualifications, may earn between £18,000 and £25,000 per year. During this phase, they typically work under supervision or as part of a driving school.
• Qualified Driving Instructor (ADI): Fully qualified driving instructors, known as Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs), generally earn between £25,000 and £35,000 per year. Those working in large cities or with a steady stream of clients may earn on the higher end of this scale.
• Self-Employed Driving Instructor: Many driving instructors choose to work independently, setting their own rates and schedules. Self-employed instructors can earn between £30,000 and £40,000 per year, depending on the number of hours they work and their client base.
• Driving School Instructor: Instructors who work for established driving schools may earn a fixed salary, typically ranging from £22,000 to £30,000 annually. Some driving schools offer commission-based pay, where instructors can earn more based on the number of students they teach.
• Fleet Driving Instructor or Instructor Trainer: Specialized instructors, such as those training fleet drivers or aspiring driving instructors, can earn upwards of £40,000 per year, especially if they work in corporate settings or provide advanced driver training services.

Driving Instructor Skills

It takes a combination of technical and teaching skills, as well as patience, to be a successful driving instructor.

There are many vital skills for anyone wanting to become a driving instructor. These are:

• Understanding of the technical aspects of driving
• Being a patient teacher
• Understanding the psychological impact of learning to drive

A combination of these skills is necessary to be a high-quality driving instructor.

Firstly, you need to have a profound understanding of the technical aspects of driving as well as excellent teaching skills. One of the reasons for this is that you are teaching a student who has yet to gain previous driving experience. Therefore, you need to have the patience to explain the basics and build your students’ driving skills step by step.

Secondly, you need to have a good psychological understanding of the teaching process in order to help your students improve their driving abilities as soon as possible. To achieve this, you need to be a patient as well as an enthusiastic teacher.

In conclusion, you need a combination of technical knowledge, teaching skills and patience to be a quality driving instructor.

• Patience and calmness: Patience is one of the most important skills for a driving instructor. Driving lessons are difficult, especially if the driver is a nervous or novice learner. The instructor needs to stay calm, and encouragement and mistakes need to be handled positively.
• Communication Skills: Excellent communication skills are essential for driving instructors to explain driving concepts and techniques to their learners clearly and accurately. This involves providing precise instructions, delivering constructive feedback and ensuring the learners grasp the driving rules and techniques being taught.
• Observation: A good instructor will have the eyes of a hawk on the road to spot potential hazards, picking up on a learner’s incorrect mirror checks or his positioning on the road at a junction.
• Problem-Solving: Students learning how to drive will come across various issues. To cater to the needs of each student, the instructors must develop acute problem-solving skills to be able to identify the students’ learning barriers and to keep adapting the teaching method to find solutions for the difficulties faced by the learners, which could be parking, road awareness, or gear-changing.
• Expertise in driving: you should have good knowledge of the Highway Code and driving regulations and a high standard of driving competence, as you will be teaching people to drive.
• Time Management: Because the teacher is teaching several learners at a time, time management skills are vital in ensuring that lessons start on time and end on time. The essential material is also covered in time.
• Customer service: Good customer service skills are important because many driving instructors interact with the public directly. You need to be friendly, reliable and professional and put the learner at ease.
• Flexibility: All learners are different – some learn faster than others, and all have different styles of learning. To be a good driving instructor, it’s really important to be flexible, and make changes to each individual’s lessons, as well as coming up with creative solutions to make difficult ideas simpler to learn.
• Stress Management: Teaching someone to drive is stressful, particularly if you have some nervous learners or you are faced with challenging conditions on the road. It is important that driving instructors manage their own stress so that they can perform well and provide a comfortable learning environment for their learners.

Driving Instructor Tips

If you’re aspiring to become a driving instructor, here are some practical tips to help you succeed in this rewarding career:

• Start with a Solid Knowledge of the Highway Code: As a driving instructor, it’s essential to have a thorough understanding of the Highway Code. Make sure you’re up to date with the latest road rules, driving laws, and regulations, as this will form the foundation of your teaching.
• Consider Joining a Driving School Initially: If you’re new to the profession, working for an established driving school can provide valuable experience and a steady stream of learners. Once you’ve gained confidence and a reputation, you may choose to become self-employed.
• Build Your Reputation: Word-of-mouth referrals are one of the best ways to build your client base as a driving instructor. Provide high-quality, patient, and supportive lessons to ensure that learners recommend you to their friends and family.
• Stay Calm and Positive: Nervous learners can benefit greatly from a calm and positive instructor. Stay composed during lessons, especially when mistakes happen, and offer constructive feedback rather than criticism. Building learners’ confidence is key to their success.
• Keep Learning and Developing: As a driving instructor, it’s important to stay informed about changes to driving laws, test requirements, and teaching methods. Continuing professional development (CPD) can help you improve your skills and provide the best possible instruction to your students.
• Use Mock Tests to Prepare Learners: A great way to prepare learners for the practical driving test is by conducting mock tests. Simulate the real test environment and evaluate their driving skills, providing feedback on areas that need improvement before the actual test.
• Develop Good Interpersonal Skills: Building a rapport with your learners can make lessons more enjoyable and productive. Take the time to get to know each learner, understand their needs, and adapt your teaching style accordingly.

Driving Instructor Requirements

Suppose you want to be a driving instructor in the UK. In that case, you have to meet certain criteria and sit and pass certain examinations to demonstrate that you are fit for the job of teaching learners how to drive safely. This is how you can become a driving instructor:

• Meet the Minimum Requirements: To become a driving instructor, you must be 21 years old, have held a full UK driving licence for three years, and have no more than six penalty points on your licence.
• DBS Check: Before you can apply to become an approved driving instructor, you need to pass a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check to make sure you have no criminal record that would put you in a position where you couldn’t work with learners.
• Pass the Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) Tests: To be able to call yourself an ADI in the UK, you have to pass three tests:

1. ADI Part 1 – Theory Test: This section tests you on your driving theory, road safety and knowledge of the Highway Code. It consists of multiple-choice questions and a hazard perception.
2. ADI Part 2 – Practical Driving Test: This is a more advanced version of the general driving test, which assesses your ability to drive a car and handle the road safely.
3. ADI Part 3 – Instructional Ability Test: This test examines your instructional ability. You will have to give a ‘driving lesson’, and the examiner will then assess your instructional skills, interpersonal skills, and general ability to teach a learner to drive.

• Apply for a Trainee Licence (Optional): If you have passed ADI Part 1 and ADI Part 2 but still need to pass ADI Part 3, you can apply for a trainee licence. This means you can begin teaching learners under supervision while you train.
• Get your ADI badge: Once you have passed the three ADI tests, you can register your name as an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). You’ll get your ADI badge and must display it in your vehicle whenever you are taking lessons.
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD): Having qualified as an ADI, you’ll need to develop your professional skills continually. The DVSA promotes CPD for driving instructors to help them keep up-to-date with changes to driving and improve their teaching methods.

How to Become a Driving Instructor

It’s no easy task to become a driving instructor in the UK, which is why anyone who does is rightly considered passionate about the job and the safety of other road users. If you’re thinking about how to become a driving instructor, here’s a breakdown of the process:

• Make sure you tick the basic boxes: you must be at least 21 years old, have a full UK driving licence held for at least three years, and possess no more than six penalty points.
• Pass a DBS check: You need to obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to ensure you have no criminal record, which is a mandatory requirement.
• Step 1: ADI Part 1 Test – Theory You must pass the ADI Part 1 Test – Theory to qualify for the second part of the ADI qualifying exam. To do this, you will need to study the Highway Code, road safety rules, and driving theory. The test includes a series of multiple-choice questions and a hazard perception test. You can buy study guides and enrol in courses offered by various driving schools.
• Pass the ADI Part 2 Practical Test: After the theory test, you must also pass the practical driving test, which is more difficult than the typical driving test and checks your ability to drive safely, under varying road and traffic conditions, and use more advanced driving skills.
• Prepare to take the ADI Part 3 Test: The final step on your road to becoming a driving instructor is the ADI Part 3 test, which will test your ability to teach other people to drive. You will be observed delivering a lesson to a learner. The examiner will check that you are teaching the learner in the right way, with the correct language, and that the lesson you deliver is both effective and safe. You can take driving instructor training courses to prepare yourself for this.
• Apply for a Trainee Licence (Optional): You are eligible to apply for a trainee licence if you’ve passed both the first two tests but haven’t still need to pass the ADI Part 3 test. With a trainee licence, you can start teaching learners under your supervision and build up that experience before you have completed the qualification.
• Register as an ADI: Once you’ve passed the three tests, you can register as an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) with the DVSA. You’ll be issued with your ADI badge, which you must display in your vehicle while instructing.
• Get Work with Learners: When you’re registered as a fully qualified ADI, you can start your work as a driving instructor. You can either choose to work alone, work for a driving school, or offer specialist services, such as advanced lessons or fleet training.
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD): The DVSA encourages driving instructors to keep up their professional development and refresh their skills by completing CPD courses and attending workshops and training.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Should You Be a Driving Instructor?

This feeding instruction is a rewarding job that will provide you with an opportunity to impact people’s lives by teaching them a very important skill. This job offers great benefits such as flexibility, job security, and independence. You have the option to work for a driving school or yourself. You can set your schedule to suit your needs. Among the best benefits of this job is that it is a secure career. As long as people keep driving, there will always be a need for instructors to teach them how to drive. In conclusion, this is a great career choice that will provide me with a life-changing opportunity.

Is Being a Driving Instructor a Good Career Choice for You?

If you love teaching, have good communication skills and are passionate about road safety, you could find that a career as a driving instructor is perfect for you – you can work for yourself, set your hours, and help people accomplish their goals of being able to drive safely.

Driving Instructor Salaries

In the UK, the salary a driving instructor can earn varies depending on how many years of experience, their location, and whether they are working as a self-employed instructor or for a driving school. On average, an instructor will earn between £25,000 and £35,000 a year, but some instructors can earn more than £40,000 or £50,000 a year working for themselves.

Which Qualifications Can Help with a Career as a Driving Instructor?

To achieve this, you need to pass the three ADI tests and be registered with the DVSA. You can improve your career prospects by gaining extra qualifications, such as advanced driving certificates or instructor trainer qualifications, and specialising in an area such as fleet or motorcycle instruction.

Do I Need to Be an Experienced Driving Instructor to Get Started?

You can start training after you’re fully qualified. Still, you won’t be able to teach learners until you pass the three ADI tests, register with the DVSA, and have your licence.

Driving Instructor Career Outlook

This career path is still in high demand in the UK for as long as cars continue to drive on the road. Driving schools are filling up their daily schedules, with an increasing number of people taking driving lessons to obtain their driving licenses. For many people, this is the ideal job due to the flexibility of working hours and freedom. The job outlook for driving instructors is great, offering a good salary and good job security.

Driving Instructor Hierarchy and Progressing Within the Role

From here, instructors can take on other roles, such as fleet driving instructor, driving instructor trainer, specialist instructor (for example, bus or truck driving instructor) or open up their driving schools and manage a team of instructors.

Driving Instructor Exit Options and Opportunities

The good news for driving instructors is that there are plenty of onward career options, some of which include moving into the training of other instructors, delivering advanced driving lessons, or working for a commercial business in fleet driver training. For those seeking something entirely different, the skills you learn as a driving instructor can be easily transferred to other areas of education, such as customer service and transport management.