Improving Driving Instructor Training

Dave Allen ‘A’ Grade Driver Training

Introduction

This is about the importance of road safety and why ADI trainers need all the required skills and experience to do this.

ORDIT

Unfortunately, the Official Register of Driving Instructor Training (ORDIT) register is currently not functional.

Due to the backlog of the practical qualification examinations, the DVSA doesn’t have enough examiners to conduct these ORDIT inspections.

For those who are new to the industry, the ORDIT register was a voluntary list of driving instructors who were graded ‘A’ on their last standard check.

They also had to pass an inspection of their training paperwork and demonstrate their ability to train potential driving instructors (PDIs) or develop existing approved driving instructors (ADIs). The driving instructor would have to pass this inspection at a grade ‘A’ (score at least 43 out of 51).

I was a huge believer of the ORDIT register, as its purpose was to raise the standards of instructor training and trainers who were on this register were highly recommended.

Current Situation

Currently, training for the third instruction ability (ADI Part 3) examination, can be done by anybody and yes, I really do mean anyone.

Additionally, the required documentation ADI 21 T and ADI 21 AT can also be signed by anyone.

Picture this: the driving instructor your son or daughter is learning with could have received very poor-quality training, or even worse, no training at all.

That driving instructor could have been approved and signed off by somebody who is only interested in making money for the driving school that they own or they are associated with.

The current pass rate for the ADI part 3 examination is 29%!

Driving is the most dangerous thing that most people do and it’s a lifelong skill that is influenced by the skills and abilities of ADIs and their trainers.

Better ADI trainers, better ADIs, mean better drivers, which means less collisions and injuries on the road.

In other words, a win-win-win situation.

My Proposal

My proposal to improve the standard of instructor training in this country.

Applicants for driving instructor positions must meet a minimum standard of aptitude and ability.

Instructor training demands several prior skills such as:

• Strong communication skills
• Attentiveness to customer care
• Sharp memory
• Understanding of how people learn

Instructors must be able to clearly explain how they perform a task.

Teaching driving is often more challenging than it appears. Experienced drivers perform many tasks subconsciously whereas learners have yet to develop these instincts through years of practice.

Furthermore, driving instructors are expected to demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities and effectively address any issues that may arise during instruction.

Anyone wishing to become a driving instructor should demonstrate some prior aptitude.

I don’t have specialised knowledge in designing competency-based interviews for choosing driving instructors.  However, currently, there are no measures to prevent people from spending time, money, and energy on pursuits they may never be able to succeed at.

Driving instructors are professionals and should undergo a selection interview.

How We Do This

The second requirement involves updating current legislation so that only ADIs can train people to become driving instructors. In addition, ADIs should have at least three years of experience delivering instruction.

I find it bizarre that people with very little experience of the industry can train driving instructors.

Training at times requires sharing your experiences or mentoring your trainees.

You can demonstrate or explain your principles and concepts to your trainees.

Yes, pure coaching is great, but at times you need to share your well-earned experience with your students.

What’s Needed

The next requirement is the mandatory use of an instructor training syllabus that covers every aspect of becoming a driving instructor.

At present there are some great courses with structured syllabi that develop driving instructors via approved accredited qualifications..

Before the introduction of the National Standards of Driver and Rider Training (NSDRT), the qualification system was based on the core competencies of identifying faults, analysing them, and correcting them.

Teaching safe driving for life is so much more than that.

The Hermes project concluded that most collisions are caused by the higher levels of the Goals for Driving education (GDE).

So instead of just following a syllabus of fixing faults, why not address these higher levels by making our learner drivers aware of how their personality traits can affect their driving and put measures to avoid them or cope with them.

Yes, it might require learning and applying advanced coaching techniques like cognitive behavioural coaching (CBC) to challenge twisted or out of date thoughts, but the long-term benefit to the driver would be massive, especially if they know what to do if they become stressed.

Currently, there is no recognised syllabus to become a driving instructor, which I find bizarre.

All courses or qualifications should have a structured syllabus to follow and a proven method of recording and verifying an individual’s progress.

All we have at the moment is the NSDRT training which explains what is required, what it doesn’t do is explain how we do it.

Finally, the most important aspect of all is implementing mandatory continuous professional development (CPD).

Many professions require periodic development training, so why should driving instruction be any different?

Vehicle technology changes constantly,, teaching techniques evolve and improve, roads change, and customer expectations and requirements change as well.

We should all be continuously improving and evolving, just like cars or other professional occupations.

Conclusion

In short, our industry needs significant reform.

The points above are just an overview. Real change will require legislative updates, better training for driving instructors, and procedural improvements like competency-based interviews and better documentation.

Can we afford to maintain current practices, given poor ADI part 3 pass rates, low driving standards, and the ongoing toll of serious injuries and fatalities?

Dave Allen

‘A’ Grade Driver Training