Could Learner Drivers Be Better Drivers Than Their Instructors?

Thursday, 25. August 2011

Are learner drivers better at driving than the instructors? It’s a worrying thought especially if you are learning to drive and reliant on the instructor to ensure you pass first time. Auto Express has obtained figures from the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) showing that in thousands of cases driving instruction is either sub-standard or simply not known.

The figures showed that 8% of fully qualified instructors were marked down as sub-standard or had not yet been checked. Nearly as worrying is that more than half the instructors (52,272) were marked as grade 4, the next lowest mark.

Learner drivers can use the latest DSA website to locate instructors but the site doesn’t show the instructors’ gradings. The DSA said that they would be looking into this and ‘consult fully on any proposed changes.’

However, Auto Express pointed out that they had raised this issue and reported Government proposals to provide instructor star ratings back in 2008, so far absolutely no action. By Graham Hill