Today we launched our consultation which aims to encourage learner drivers to be properly prepared for their driving test and get their views on what information they and their parents would find useful when choosing an instructor.
One of the proposals will make it a legal requirement for ADIs and trainees to display their registration certificates and trainee licence – often known as the badge for approved instructors – in their car windscreen when they bring their pupils for a driving test.
In this blog post I’ll explain the reasons why we are consulting on this, explain the benefits of these changes to you, update you on how our ADI engagement calls are going and outline another consultation proposal to give learner drivers better information about instructors.
Reasons for the proposal
As you know, we’ve changed our approach for ADI standard checks by prioritising instructors who most need support to improve the quality of their training.
We use data from ADIs’ analysis reports to help prioritise which instructors we contact to invite for a standard check. This information is captured from your certificate, which is why it’s so important that you show it on test.
Many of you are doing this already, which we really appreciate, but some instructors aren’t, which is unfair to those of you who do.
We also want to make learners and their parents aware what to look for when they are looking for an instructor and how to check if their chosen instructor has been approved by us.
How ADIs will benefit
The proposal to make displaying an ADI badge in an instructor’s car during a driving test a legal requirement will improve the way we identify and prioritise which instructors we see for standards checks and an engagement call.
The aim is to help increase the standard of tuition for learner drivers. This in turn will help make sure more candidates are better prepared for taking their test.
We know that many of you guide your pupils if they’re not ready for their test and encourage them to delay it.
We’re also aware that you can sometimes be put in a difficult situation as your pupil, or their parents, aren’t willing to listen to your professional advice and go ahead with their test when they’re not ready.
We’re keen to promote the essential work that you do, the importance of listening to your advice and your contribution to road safety.
The consultation proposal to increase the number of days your pupil will need to wait before booking another test will help you when dealing with these challenges.
Requiring all ADIs to display their badge will also make it a level playing field for all instructors.
Standards check engagement calls
Our voluntary engagement calls that we make before a standards check have been going really well.
We’ve carried out over 1,300 of these since last October.
We want to work with you to raise driving standards across the industry so together we can improve road safety.
Many of you work independently, so these calls give instructors a chance to talk to an ADI examiner to understand their Driving Test Data Report and identify any areas needing improvement.
We’ve been really pleased with the feedback we’ve had from instructors.
Here is some of the feedback from instructors who have had these calls:
“I personally found the engagement call and Standards Check really helpful. It's not only shown my strengths but identified where I need to improvement. I now know what to work on in the future so I can continually improve as an ADI.”
“It was good to speak with an examiner and it was particularly useful discussing my analysis report and my performance. I am already starting to think about some of the things we discussed and apply them on my lessons. Thank you.”
“Personally, you made me feel more relaxed going into my standards check and dispersed a lot of myths and untruths that are always bounded around. Some of the links you sent have been a massive help.”
Giving learner drivers better information about instructors
We’re also asking learner drivers and their parents what information they would find useful when choosing an instructor and whether this includes details about their performance.
The consultation opens the debate on this matter. Any measure of performance must be easy for learner drivers to understand.
We will work with ADI National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP) on any proposals in this area following the consultation.
47 comments
Comment by John Smith posted on
The whole industry is becoming a dictatorship farce, all you are doing is making life even more difficult for instructors and your approach on how to improve road safety clearly seems to being made by someone sitting behind a desk looking at statistics and not in the real world environment, it appears that you are pointing the finger at ADI and implying it's all the fault of the ADI if road safety suffers or people fail a driving test when actually you should be looking at so e of the changes that have been made regarding dropping trailer testing and the ridiculous new highway code rules that are being introduced and it will be interesting to see how much of an increase in accidents these will cause rather than blaming and targeting instructors as an excuse to hide the fact the DVSA is not fit for purpose
Comment by Steve posted on
Agreed, just another way of blaming us rather than dealing with the fact that DVSA are completely out of touch with reality. I'll be looking for another job if this keeps up
Comment by Jim Harley posted on
Another worthless decided before it's proposed consultation. The DVSA under this government have nothing but contemptuous disregard for the professionals and the public they are supposed to serve...how times have changed.
Comment by Paul Jackson posted on
I agree with you on this Jim.
Things won't get better until real practical professional and experienced driving instructors are in place in the DVSA managerial positions. I.e. Those that have, not those that sit and think.
Comment by Ian humphrey posted on
Have you considered the legal ramifications of leaving unsecured badges and paperwork on the dash to move around or be a distraction?
Insecure load or dangerous condition summons may follow and driving Summons if driving is affected
Comment by Martin Davies posted on
Simple answer to that is make sure your ADI badge is secured on the windscreen and regards the distractions in the car how many ADIS have an air freshener hanging off the interior mirror which in itself is a fixed penalty and 3 points.
Comment by Dan Sullivan posted on
Best not leave your badge unsecured then.
Comment by susan Furlong posted on
Nasp does not consult the driving instructors. They dont approach us or get our views. They make up their own minds based on what they think the DVSA wants to hear. I have never heard of or seen a consultation where NASP has actually asked us, as driving instructors, what we think is fair. Yet the DVSA has meetings and continues by agreeing with what they say. Why dont you give us, as instructors, more opportunity to have our say directly. For every questionnaire you send us, there should be a comment box next to EVERY question. I have just filled in the latest one, but I am unable on a lot of points to tell you why. Nasp does not represent me or the MSA, or ADINJC.
They have NEVER ASKED ME!!
Comment by John Davison posted on
Personally I find all the changes "for the better" the DVSA makes to be unwanted micro management that makes our work as instructors harder than it already is.
You say it's a consultation so why aren't I being asked as an ADI what I want or don't want?
Stop harassing us and randomly changing the rules to make our work more difficult?
Comment by Peter (DVSA) posted on
You are able to give your feedback on the proposals here - https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/driving-tests-improving-availability-and-processes
Comment by Stuart Forrester posted on
This is OK but pupil nerves on the day of test as a lot to do with passing or failed and what mood a examiners are in
Comment by Ben Graham posted on
Nothing to hide, so why not?
However, what would really help with test availability would be to ensure professional, regulated and regularly tested DVSA Approved Driving Instructors are needed to approve a learner application for test - this will be far more effective than extending wait times between tests.
For those seeking private tuition, there's no harm in expecting them to have a sense check with a professional prior to applying for the test - rather like paying a professional in another industry to ensure all is in order.
I might suggest the proposal to make displaying the ADI / PDI certificate goes hand in hand with this proposal.
Comment by Rovina posted on
I think instructors should be only be able to book the driving tests with the pupil when they are ready for test.
As many book a test although you may have told them they are not ready but some are no way ready and then take a family car on test. And sometimes get lucky on the day pass.Then a danger to others.
The amount of dangerous and bad drivers on the road today are shocking and not to mention the fatal accidents.
I have witnessed many pupils in their own cars at the test centre going for a test and back in 5 or 10 mins failed.
Wasting time and causing long waiting lists.
Comment by David Balding posted on
I’d like to see the pass data for those taking tests in private cars compared to a driving instructor’s car.
Comment by Richard Parsons posted on
15 minor faults for the candidate, but 5 minor faults for the instructor. I can't understand the relationship between those numbers at all. Why not change the driving test to just a maximum of 5 minor faults or fail. This would change results much faster.
Comment by Jeremy Fox posted on
You have got no idea the pressure we are under. I told a pupil that she was not ready to take her test and so she logged on to Google and gave me a one star on rating and wrote a really nasty review about me. We can't win. I can't wait for the day that I can get out of here. And by the way I'm an A grade with a perfect score and 33 years experience, but that doesn't count for anything anymore. Does it? I'm fed up with being blamed for everything. Very funny about making the time in which a retest can be booked to 10 days when the waiting list to get a test where I work is off the board, literally nothing available and that's not my fault.
Comment by Ian Thomas posted on
Brilliant Jeremy. I am also a Grade A (49 out of 51) with a 'pathetic' 56% pass rate. !! Test failures are in the hand of inconsistent and unpredictable Examiners who give serious faults that are really questionable. My feeling is that the consistent low pass rate of 46%/47% over 12 years is only achieved by 'control' or 'moderation' of the Examiners by the DVSA and is grossly unfair on the candidates who are really good drivers but who are unfortunate to be awarded a 'serious' fault.
What is consistent is that ADIs have no idea of what the Test outcome will be. Most of us cannot predict the result and may as well toss a coin !!!
Comment by David Balding posted on
I’ve sat in all my tests and on only one occasion did I think the examiner was slightly harsh in giving a serious fault. In fact I’ve seen more occasions when I would have failed the pupil.
However my pass rate appears to have dropped since we aren’t allowed to sit in on test…
Comment by James T posted on
That's just great... So I've a student that will not be (quite) ready for their big day in mid February and after having a discussion with them, we've agreed to defer to a later date... Now I find there are no dates available for them to defer to. What a pickle, what a dilemma!..
Badge in or badge out or should they use their own 2003 Vauxhall Corsa in Candy Pink with fluffy seatbelt covers, 12 air fresheners, 2 months tax and 3 months MOT or hope that another test slot arises sometime this year?
This is the problem when you're using a crystal ball to book nearly 6 months ahead...
Maybe there would be slots available if all bookings required an ADI number (not Mum & Dad's judgement), Maybe suspending the use of cancellation apps that hover up any slots that become available within seconds of them becoming available. Maybe the address of an applicant could be check against the locality of the test centre they book. (Very, very easy to implement). That'll deter and/or eliminate the so called 'Test tourist', May be this is the way forward to reduce test waiting times?
And you want my data! Can you be trusted with my data?
The point is, I am (as always) try to do the right thing as are most ADI's. Help us do the right thing. Rant Over.
Comment by Ian Thomas posted on
Your comments are not a rant James. Most of us express exactly the same feelings. The whole situation is a total mess and ADIs opinions have and are not considered. All of the comments reflect a distinct dissatisfaction
Comment by Janet Bott posted on
I like the point made by Ben Graham that would be such a good idea as since being back in April I have had so many enquiries with tests already booked needing an instructor to take them on saying previous instructor has covid or is long term ill and they are no where near test ready. Should not have even booked test but then parent or partners take them to test anyways and risk it.
Comment by MK posted on
Displaying certificates it’s good idea, can be annoying when swapping cars manual to auto and auto to manual, you would not carry those badges with you all the time.
But it can stop fake unregistered Instructors messing around , I think it’s good idea,
What I am very concerned due to car cleans 🧼, some examiners are saying carpets are given exemption, and some of them even cancelling tests because Instructors car carpet was not clean enough, it seems double standard rules their have.
Comment by David posted on
The way i see for The DVSA is like i don't really care, i am big boss and no one is going to make me pay for all the mistakes and the stress i am putting on poor instructors, Majority of these test fails have always been due to anxiety, Let us all be fair and equal and know the people who are making this so called "proposals" by name so we can shame them and call them out when something happens, On the other hand no one ever consulted me and no instructor that i know have ever been consulted about this so you are playing childish game taking advantage on us, let us not ignore the elephant in the room and let us allow all tests to be filmed so if someone wants to appeal so they can be looked at what has happened because there has been times when examiners have been too hard unnecessarily.
Comment by Graham Carroll posted on
Dvsa, please be consistent, you keep telling us that teaching 'safe driving for life' is more valuable than concentrating on the test.
Now you are suggesting the test is really telling... Make your mind up.
With regard parents and guardians choosing an instructor.. Word of mouth will always overcome any staticatics you produce.
Comment by Ian T posted on
Had a pupil pass recently, she was very nervous and being honest did take a lot of driving lessons.
I was explaining to her on the way back (in a joking manner) that that was another black mark on my stats as she got 6 minors, she was gobsmacked and thought I was pulling her leg!!!
Just more pressure on the poor ADI I'm afraid.
Comment by CWAT posted on
If you want us to display our badges then pupils who sit tests in their own cars and go with their parent needs to be included as well.
I had 7 tests last year of pupils who sat in own car and 6 passed, but this is not recorded.
Comment by David Balding posted on
I’ve had similar. The better pupils seem to do this more than the really nervous ones.
Comment by Seelan posted on
This is a terrible idea. Students making mistakes is dependent on the circumstances on the day. The road situations are always inconsistent and students can get nervous, affecting their performance on their test day. It is not fair to give all the blame to ADI when students make mistakes due to unforeseen circumstances.
As instructors, we know how much our students have progressed and can tell whether they are ready to excercise safe driving on their own. However with the current exam booking system, some students do not heed our guidance and just book a test whenever there is a space, and then we refuse, they just jump from one driving school to another. In addition to this, some people decide to make a business by scalping test dates which pupils then have to buy at an absurd price since there are a very limited number of spaces. So why is DVSA giving more power to the students to book tests. What is the point of us as instructors if students can just judge their ability to drive themselves? Our business online booking service has been useless since last year, there are no time slots due to the reasons listed above. My suggestion is to give ADI more priority to book tests for our own pupils who we believe are ready and safe to take their tests.
Comment by Mark McMullen posted on
First of all - Data Protection Act - Should instructors be required to agree to have their private data published ?
Second - the test is not a paid driving lesson and the DVSA has NO JURISDICTION over a private citizen renting their car for the purposes of a driving test.
Thirdly - If statistics are being used to massage the check tests then they should be compiled by COMPETENT statisticians - QUALIFIED to do so.
I do not believe that the 'exemplar' statistics from instructors in previous blogs and video have been displaying their badges on every test. I expect they have been selectively displaying their badges.
The current performance triggers are a blunt tool from an unqualified (not competent statistician) person as far as I can tell.
One option is to have all instructors display their badges and refine the statistical data to do proper statistical analysis, normalise the data for sex and age and do a proper PROFESSIONAL job.
A second option would be to allow instructors to selectively display their badge. Because if they cant achieve the triggers by selectively displaying their badge then it would be likely that those instructors would be the ones who need help.
Lastly, as far as I can tell there has been a huge increase in private citizens presenting themselves for test in the last 2 years, and weirdly many are passing. These statistics should be made publicly available.
Comment by Mick posted on
Your proposal wouldn't be half as bad if you could capture the data correctly!
Planning on Standards Checking ADIs on incorrect data?
Look inwards at tge reasons for your own failings instead of blaming everyone else!
Comment by Mark McMullen posted on
'What we’re proposing
We’re proposing that driving instructors would be legally required to display their registration certificate in the windscreen when their car is being used for a driving test.
Driving instructors who still refused to display their certificate would then face the possibility of having their approval to teach removed.
We’re exploring the range of legislative and non-regulatory options to introduce this policy.'
Utterly filthy disgusting and authoritarian nonsense.
Comment by Tam M posted on
Seen a huge increase in the public turning up for tests without an instructor and the DVSA does not view this as a major driver for the excessive waiting times. I get more enquiries from people with tests prebooked now than I do from 'typical oldfashioned' learners.
It is the DVSA's own mismanagement, lack of examiners and influx of impatient public, that has caused this problem. But they insist on deflecting their responsibility to others.
Now, if a driving instructor simply does not display a badge because they choose not to for a variety of reasons, for a candidate that is deemed safe to present for test, the DVSA are proposing to threaten their job.
Second class Instructor citizens with less freedom from the DVSA than the random person off the street.
The double standard from the 'Standard Agency' is genuinely shocking and disgustingly authoritarian, I agree with your comments.
Comment by Tam M posted on
Dont want to reply to myself but I have looked into this a tiny little bit and want to convey some information. If displaying the certificates becomes Law, this can be remedied in the following ways.
1/Judicial review - illegality under the Human Rights Act (Privacy) and also Procedural Unfairness.
2/Human Rights Act - right to privacy Article 8 (the ADI should have the same right to privacy the DVSA grants the random person on the street). Also Article 10 freedom of expression (the ADI has the right to withold their badge as a protest).
The DVSA are clearly over reaching their authority.
Comment by Mark McMullen posted on
Tam, I submitted an FOI request to the DVSA on 27th January and my question was this :-
'The data for people taking their driving test where no ADI certificate was presented at test compared to all candidate data over the last 5 years.'
The response I received yesterday was this (I have added rounded percentages).
Cat B tests conducted between 01/04/2016 and 30/09/2021
Year Total Badge No Badge
01/04/2016 - 31/03/2017 1,730,937 1,319,709 411,228 (24%)
01/04/2017 - 31/03/2018 1,718,510 1,316,870 401,640(23%)
01/04/2018 - 31/03/2019 1,664,213 1,249,025 415,188(25%)
01/04/2019 - 31/03/2020 1,599,567 1,229,483 370,084(23%)
01/04/2020 - 31/03/2021 437,343 275,560 161,783(37%)
01/04/2021 - 30/09/2021 692,678 413,135 279,543(40%)
The increase in tests where no badge was presented is clear over the last 2 years. I cant imagine that this would be due to instructors not displaying their badge because the new trigger mechanisms were not in place by the 30th September last year. It would seem to support what I have been seeing at tests myself, that more members of the public are presenting themselves for tests without an ADI.
I don't understand why the data stopped at September, because my request was made in January and if anything I would expect the percentages to be increasing since then if my enquiries are anything to go by. I, like you, am experiencing a huge surge of enquiries from people with tests pre-booked, with little to no previous driving experience. Last week alone I had approximately 30 enquiries and roughly 20 had tests pre booked, mostly at short notice (some within 6 weeks). These are off the top of my head figures.
I didn't take on anyone making enquiries like that as I am not set up for intensive courses. Now, with the triggers, it would be insane to do so.
The solution to the problem is twofold. A lot more driving instructors are needed. But I suspect that will not happen. I think even the existing numbers will drop as the DVSA gets more authoritarian and meddles in our affairs much more, Who wants them interfering in our business ?
A lot more driving examiners. I suspect that wont happen either because who wants to work for authoritarians ?
The DVSA should have seen this coming and rather than giving the devil idle work for evil hands inventing triggers, should have been running a huge recruitment campaign for examiners immediately after the first lockdown.
Comment by Barry Fitzgerald posted on
If The Dvsa want to improve road safety and make adis more professional ,then we as a driver training industry should be allowed to set a minimum lesson price now that we are out of Europe .We have been under charging for lessons for years !
Secondly I agree with my colleagues that if we are the best professionals to assess our pupils driving in relation to taking a driving test,then applications should be done through an adi only and no private cars should be allowed to attend a driving test. It is odd that in this day and age of health and safety that a private individual can turn up for a driving test with no professional training in their own car ,with no dual controls .I'm surprised that the driving examiners union allow it ?
I don't have a problem displaying a green badge .I don't have a problem with the dvsa trying to improve standards ,but it needs to be a level playing field to be fair.
Comment by Angela Sorensen posted on
Could a barcode be added to our badges so we can make sure they are scanned when presenting a pupil for test? I’m really sceptical that our performance statistics are actually accurate.
How do we know for sure that an examiner has recorded our badge number?
Comment by Stephen Clare posted on
I was a grade 6 and I am now a grade B instructor, only passed by three marks. My pupil on the day of my standards check, one of my best, fell to pieces, didn’t know left from right and a red light from a green light. I feel I did a fantastic job getting her to the end of that test and was almost humiliated in the debriefing by the examiner as I went way off piste to keep her concentration to a maximum.
This is what’s happens on driving tests how on earth can I be held responsible for it.
A big no to displaying badges. I will do my standards check every 4 years as agreed when I first qualified.
If it is passed all my pupils will become family members that I didn’t charge for lessons.
Comment by Stacmcd posted on
Not well thought out. Performance triggers based on ADI's who have selectively displayed their certificates to gain artificially high stats. Those are applied to real ADI's who have always displayed their certificates. It wont work because it is a 'pretend' high benchmark.
What to do now as an ADI ? Reject the weak pupils early. They will still pursue their driving ambitions. The ADI still takes on new pupils looking for the strong ones while still rejecting the weak. Overall there will be more demand for driving tests not less.
Comment by Peter (DVSA) posted on
The ADI badge proposal aims to create a level playing field for all instructors so we can improve the way we identify and prioritise which instructors we see for standards checks and an engagement call.
Comment by Stacmcd posted on
Peter thanks for the response but I would refer you to the DVSA email sent 12/8/21
'Prioritising standards checks and engagement call
In the message issued earlier today we explained what we are doing next to help reduce car driving test waiting times.
It also explains the important role you play in reducing driving test waiting times and how we’ll be supporting instructors who need it the most. We now want to give you more information about how this will work.'
Comment by Stacmcd posted on
Peter, please also refer to the other DVSA email earlier on the 12/08/21
'We want to help those driving instructors who find it difficult to meet the standards. This will allow us to prioritise those instructors who need the most support.
High-quality instruction leads to high-quality learner drivers who’ll be better prepared to pass their test first-time. Reducing the number of candidates who need to retake their driving test will really help to tackle the waiting list.'
What is being proposed now is a permanent change to the law. Not changes which will be reviewed or ammended after things get back to normal as Jaqui Turland indicated in her email 06/10/21
'We need to continue to roll out this new approach because we need to use it to help us to urgently prioritise checks as we build back after the pandemic.
But we will of course monitor this and keep the data and the parameters under review and change them if necessary.'
Comment by David Balding posted on
I now only give lessons in an automatic after years of manual tuition and subsequently both.
Roughly two thirds of pupils come to me having tried manual lessons and struggled with the clutch and gears. Some have “jumped ship” after as few as five or six lessons. Others have rung me after a couple and I’ve told them it may take up to 10-15 lessons to become familiar with the clutch/gearbox and to keep trying.
Some have been advised to try auto by their instructor and I’ve seen an increase in this since the thresholds were introduced. Thus I suspect instructors are pushing less able pupils into automatic tuition and this is down the the DVSA policy.
Changing tack slightly I note that most of my fails are caused by nerves and anxiety. Furthermore the vast majority of my pupils fail with a serious fault and fewer than six driver errors. Very few of my passes have five or more errors too.
Regarding fails since March 2020 I seem to have had more fails (all with serious faults) than previously ie. since instructors weren’t allowed to sit in.
In the past I’ve found examiners to be more lenient than I would have been, apart from on one occasion when I thought a certain examiner was a bit harsh (hesitancy at a roundabout lasting about six or seven seconds - the pupil had stopped when he ought to have driven through).
One other point I’d like to make. There is also an opinion that examiners, who are having to do more tests with no increase in pay, are taking their frustrations out on pupils. Anecdotes from instructors and feedback from pupils saying the examiner was curt or surly with the pupil or mumbled so the pupil had to keep asking them to repeat what was said, seem to be commonplace in my area yet that was never the case when I was sat in. This view appears to be replicated elsewhere. Maybe the statistics back this up or maybe it is a few test centres.
Comment by thisguy posted on
Please answer the actual questions raised above, otherwise you are simply spouting DVSA retoric - making your reply entriey pointless.
Please present actual stats on how many people go for test with no training in private cars, and how that correlates to wait times for tests?
Then numbers on how many of them rebook as soon as they fail?
How do you account for ADIs that have taught people that then go on to pass in
a private car? (Stats only please)
How do you square away the fact that they are allowed upto 14 minor faults on test and ADIs have 5 or less for your trigger system?
How do you square away the fact that my local test centre (for example) has a pass rate of 48% but ADIs are all expected to have 55% minimum?
How do you square away (as mentioned above) that while on test the student is not getting a paid lesson, they are getting a test. So by law currently DVSA has zero authority over ADI other than getting on with the job?
How do you square away the fact that this is all aimed at road safety, yet someone with no training in a non dual controlled car can book and attend a test? - therefore even if the examiner wants to take control, they have limited options, if any?
Also - actual stats on how your changes (i.e. the trigger system for ADIs) have improved accident stats for people who have passed.
And you want us to display badges so you can improve OUR performance?
actual facts and figures only in your reply please.
Comment by Andy posted on
From a parent's perspective...
I have decided to train to become an ADI which is so far going well so please take my comments as being from a parent of a student and a potential Instructor.
My daughter learned to drive 3 years ago and had there not been the opportunity to book her test herself and take it in her own car she wouldn't have passed, hear me out.
Her instructor at the time was brilliant at instructing yet massively disorganised. He'd double-book students, send messages to the wrong students, arrive so late as to leave very little time to teach, show up on wrong days, wrong times or not at all.
As we had purchased her a car to use for practice I took the decision to quit the lessons with the instructor and teach her myself. We booked the test and she took it in her own car. She passed first attempt.
Obviously the instructors stats were not affected as he had not presented for the test.
This is only this one instructor and I have no doubt that this is not indicative of all the hard working professionals out there. However if my daughter would have needed his blessing/ADI approval/vehicle to take her test it probably would have never happened as he would've shown up late, if at all, or on the wrong day.
Good for her she was able to take the test without his approval.
As for displaying your certs, taxi drivers have to display their licences, so do night club doormen and women, childminders have to in their licenced premises. Food establishments display their hygiene rating. Its just about safety and customer confidence that the person is qualified and checked to perform their duties.
Comment by GillMcC posted on
The good old bait and switch.
We want to help ADI's who are struggling and that will help the nation to build back better against long driving test waiting times. The soft bait that many people have unfortunately ate. Protesting that the data on ADI's is not accurate.
But to 'build back better' that data needs to be accurate so display your certificates or be fired. The switch playing exactly into the manipulated interests of the previous NPC's.
Comrades, welcome to progressive socialist hell.
Comment by Gary Fossey posted on
I don't have a problem with displaying badges. I can even understand the reason for the new HC rules regarding pedestrian priority at junctions. However and whilst, as far as I can work out, I have no direct personal "threat" of an SC from the new triggers, I do have an issue with purely being "assessed" on pass rates, and at (in my opinion) fairly tight limits in at least a couple of respects. My pass rate since day 1 (16 years ago) is 60% and 95% of the pupils I've ever presented have passed, be it first or more times. I've always been a "strong" Grade 4 and B Grade instructor (maybe because I do things my way and don't cowtow to what the DVSA thinks is right - after all at least half of "enforcement" officers I've had have never been an ADI). I've always "persevered" with pupils and, up until now, haven't thought will they pass first time (although it's nice when they do) or experienced stress when I think their nerves, etc may get the better of them on test although they and I know they are safe and capable drivers; I and they know they are capable by the time they take a test and that they'll get there (well maybe not 5% who have moved on, although I know a number of these have been due to moving location). I now no longer enjoy this job and don't think the remuneration (not just financial) is worth it anymore. I have no direct control over how a pupil will "behave" on test (I can't even sit in the back to assess the actual reason for any fail), it's difficult to plan 3-5 months ahead and even harder to be able to postpone a test should someone need another 3-4 weeks with the disgraceful waiting times, etc. Therefore, I am retiring at the age of 57 (just!) on 1st September 2022 to move in with my elderly parents who need live in care. I could have chosen to carry on but I just don't enjoy doing this anymore and the financial remuneration just doesn't warrant it. You hear a lot of instructors threatening to leave because of the mess the DVSA are making of this industry and driver testing. I'm one that is leaving and whilst there are things I'll miss, the mismanagement and incompetent handling of this industry by and the misplaced arrogance of the DVSA will outweigh any regrets. I do think the continued exodus of good and committed instructors (be it because they've decided to retire a bit early or to not carry on beyond receiving full pensions, etc.) together with new entrants deciding it's not for them will continue. The bad instructors (along with many excellent ones, I don't intend to tar all the remaining instructors as such!) will remain in this industry, mostly since they're incapable of much else, and will find ways around it (e.g. dumping pupils who aren't naturals or they're not pretty much convinced they'll pass first time and dumping them if they don't; not taking on or dumping nervous pupils, pupils with special needs and from ethnic groups which DVSA statistics show have significantly lower pass rates; focussing on teaching test routes; etc.).
Comment by Celia Thomas posted on
I have a 50:50 opinion on badge display, I often just keep mine displayed and not bother to remove it before tests with no consideration of stats!
However, I may have to rethink! I disagree that displaying my badge will enable examiners to capture my details to then follow through with linking that failed learner to my stats and to possibly be invited to an early standard check appointment, No Way! And if not displayed, repercussions - nonsense.
Learners failing their driving test is not a reflection of an ADI's abilities to teach driving, its a reflection that that learner is simply NOT ready yet!!
Back in my day, I waited until told to apply for driving test, Learners DO NOT wait to be advised by Instructors that they are ready for their test - full stop! That's why they fail, come on! Not because of US.
Also, ADI's ONLY should be given the POWER to book and manage driving tests - for READY learners.