Professional Lessons : Choosing an Instructor (ADI)
What Is An ADI?
ADI stands for Approved Driving Instructor, which is the official title for professional driving instructors. All ADI's must reach certain high standards of instruction which are set and monitored by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).
A professional instructor who is paid to teach your son or daughter to drive must be an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI), and will display a green ADI certificate in the windshield of the vehicle during lessons. Some instructors will have a pink certificate which indicates that they are a trainee instructor, and are getting teaching experience before they pass their instructors exam. It is illegal for anyone else to charge money to teach someone to learn to drive.
How can I choose a good ADI?
It is worth speaking to other parents whose children have also learnt to drive, and/or to the learners themselves. They may be able to recommend a good instructor.
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) regularly checks the standard of instruction of all ADIs. They are tested on Theory,
Driver ability and Instructional ability, and then given a grade:
Grade 6. Very Good
The highest standard with no significant weaknesses.
Grade 5. Good
Only minor deficiencies.
Grade 4. Adequate
Some shortcomings that need attention.
Grade 3. Inadequate
Unacceptable shortcomings in technique and/or behaviour.
Grade 2. Poor
Numerous deficiencies such as inaccuracies, errors, serious omissions and/or faults in manner.
Grade 1. Bad
Instruction is grossly wrong, potentially or actually dangerous and/or serious shortcomings in
attitude and approach.
We recommend choosing an instructor that has a grade 5 or grade 6.
A free online service, ‘Find your nearest driving instructors’ is available in the Learners and New Drivers and Riders section of the Direct Gov website . A free online service, ‘Find your nearest driving instructors’ is available in the Learners and New Drivers and Riders section of the Direct Gov website. Simply enter your postcode to see a list of the nearest ADIs, their names and contact details and how far away each one is from your postcode. Look for ones who have signed up to DSA's voluntary continuing professional development (CPD) scheme and voluntary code of practice. This means that they have agreed to spend at least seven hours every year updating and refreshing their skills and knowledge. ADIs who have signed up to the code of practice have agreed to follow the DSA's code which covers, how well qualified they are, their personal conduct when they are training, the professional conduct of their business, their advertising and how they deal with complaints.
You should also take the instructor's car into account and make sure that it is suitable for your learner - that he or she can adjust the seat and head restraint to give them good visibility and protection. It's also useful if the car used for the professional lessons is similar in size and power to the one used for private practice. They should certainly have the same type of gears - manual or automatic.
If the learner passes their test in an automatic car, they will only be licensed to drive an automatic car. To gain a licence to drive a car with manual gears, they would have to take (and pay for) the test again in a manual car.
Ask
the instructor if he or she will allow you to accompany your learner during some lessons. This can be very useful, especially if you are supervising your learner during private practice between the lessons. It will help you to understand what the ADI is covering, why and when they are covering specific topics and help to ensure that what you cover during private practice complements the professional lessons.
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