Lesson on driving lessons
Page 33
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by Les Oldridge, TEng (CO),
MIMI, AMIRTE IT is an offence to give driving instruction on a car for payment unless one's name appears on the official register of approved driving instructors or one holds a licence to give such instruction.
The licence is to allow a person to gain the necessary experience in driving instruction and is only of a temporary nature with restrictions on the holder—but more of this later. There is a maximum penalty of four months jail and/or a .C100 fine for contravening this requirement.
Sections 126 to 142 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 and the Motor Car (Driving Instruction) Regulations 1969 (as amended) deals with the law on this subject. Only "motor cars" are affected, so the hgv or psv instructor is not concerned. Remember, however, that a motor car in law is a motor vehicle under 3 tons unladen weight, and many light vans and trucks fall within this category. Anyone giving driving lessons on this type of vehicle must be registered or licensed if he is paid for the instruction he gives.
Provided no payment is made it is still permissible to give driving lessons, even though one is not registered or licensed. Driving instruction given free of charge to a person who has bought a car, by the person selling it, or by someone on that person's behalf, must be treated as if payment •for the lesson had been made. This precludes the bargain offered by the salesman who says: "If you buy this van I will teach your workman to drive it free of charge." If he does do this then he must be registered or licensed.
Anyone wanting to become an approved driving instructor must : O Pass an exam to show his ability to give instruction in the driving of motor cars ; ▪ Have held a driving licence for at least four years ; O Have not been disqualified from driving for the past four years ; and O Be a fit and proper person to have his name entered on the register.
The examination consists of a written and practical part; the written part must be taken first. If a candidate passes the written exam but fails to pass the practical test within three years, he must take the written
part again. If he fails either part of the examination he can take it again after three months. The syllabus for the written part is contained in Regulation 6 of the Driving Instruction Regulations and contains all subjects relating to road safety including the techniques of driving a motor car correctly, courteously and safely ; the Highway Code and the Ministry book Driving.
In the practical examination the candidate has to read, in good daylight, a motor vehicle number plate at a distance of 100ft. The corresponding test for a provisional licence holder taking his driving test is 671t. The candidate is required to demonstrate his own driving skill and show his knowledge and ability to instruct a pupil by giving a practical demonstration with the examiner acting as a "learner." The examiner will successively assume the role of a complete novice, a driver with some knowledge and one about to take his driving test.
A candidate must provide a car for the test, and it must be • a saloon or estate car with a manual gearchange and properly insured. It must be free from advertisements which may lead other road users to think it :s being used for driving instruction, but the candidate must bring two "L" plates with him.
The licence mentioned earlier, a trainee's licence, may be issued so that instructors can gain the necessary experience to become registered through the qualifying examination. The holder of a licence may only give instruction from a training centre or driving school specified in the licence. For the first three months for which the licence is in force he must be under the direct supervision of an Approved Driving Instructor for at least one-fifth of the time he gives instruction.