Saturday, October 02, 2010

Information Bleg

If someone wants to give a friend a driving lesson, for free, what is required under law? I gather that paid instructors need to register with some kind of licencing authority. What I am mainly  wondering is whether standard comprehensive insurance would be sufficient and whether there are any unforeseen restrictions that need to be considered.

8 comments:

Pavlov's Cat said...

That would be a matter for your individual insurance company (and the small print in your policy)

According to the DVLA to ‘accompany’ a learner driver all you have to be is over 21 and have held a Full Licence for the appropriate vehicle for 3 years. ( i.e. if you only have an Automatic licence you cannot accompany a learner driver in a manual car)

Also, it is not a ‘lesson’ you are merely ‘accompanying’ the learner driver. However you are the responsible party if anything occurs, as has happened people have been prosecuted for drunk driving in the passenger seat as the driver was a learner and they were using them as a chauffeur.

Ross said...

Thanks PC, I'll check with my insurance company then.

Matthew said...

Check it's a friendship you are willing to lose.

Ross said...

Ha ha.

Pavlov's Cat said...

I thought I'd do a bit of looking around and found something I'd never heard of, which in a way makes sense if the learner is not related to you. (and even if they are why lose your no claims )

Learners Insurance

banned said...

Recent proposals are to make a certain number of lessons from Approved Driving Instructors compulsory so no matter how good your dad or mate is at teaching you how to drive you will be legally obliged to cough up funds for the driving school industry.

Ross said...

Banned- yeah I saw that, it makes no sense other than to line the pockets of driving instructers.

Weekend Yachtsman said...

@banned, this has always been the case, it's just never been explicitly stated under the law. Try going for the test when you have not had any professional lessons, you will fail for ever. Pay your dues and you'll be through next time you try.

This actually happened to me; my driving seemed fine but I failed three times. We went to an instructor and asked what was wrong with my driving, he said "nothing at all, book another test and I will come with you to the test centre; I won't need to say or do anything, but they will see me and you will pass." And so it turned out.

They might as well make it the law, it's legalised extortion as it is.