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. They may be able to recommend a good instructor.

Instructors are rated by grades, from 4 to 6, and you can always ask to see their grade and grade report.

The grades mean

Grade 4 - Competent Standard
Grade 5 - Good Standard
Grade 6 - High Standard

You should also take the instructors 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.

Contact the Approved Driving Instructor Branch of the Driving Standards Agency for more details about ADIs and the ADI Register.