Someone found the site through the search term “unlikely to pass driving test without adi”. I’m not sure what exactly they had in mind, but it’s worth a few words.
- Can you can take your driving test without having had any tuition at all?
Yes. Obviously, in the vast majority of cases this would be extremely unwise. You need to be able to drive reasonably well to pass the test.
- Do you have to be taught by an ADI?
No. Anyone can teach you – but they have to be teaching you the right things in order for you to pass the test and be safe on the roads afterwards.
- Do I have to pay them?
The DSA says:
It is illegal for a person to provide driving instruction for a fee if they are not suitably qualified and registered with the DSA.
Remember that this applies to private practice as well. If you are being supervised by a qualified driver then they are providing driving instruction – and that applies equally to nipping to Tescos with you driving as much as it does to going out specifically to practice.
- Can I use my own car for my test?
Yes. It just needs to be up to standard (head restraint for examiner, fully roadworthy, etc.) and insured properly. You have to make sure you have a separate rear view mirror for the examiner and L plates fitted – though in many cases the examiner will provide these if you don’t (I’ve seen jokers turning up with handmade L plates having to put ones on the examiner has produced so the test can go ahead).
In the past I have had pupils who have been taught by their parents (or friends), and those parents have done a bloody good job. The reason they then decide to hand over to professional tuition is because they don’t know enough to complete the job to the required level (and that’s just because they aren’t as up to date with everything as ADIs are).
I get far more people who have been taught by parents or friends who are absolutely awful, though. You can’t teach someone to be a better driver than you are, and most people are just not good enough to pass the test themselves these days, so they’re hardly gojng to be passing on best practices to those they are trying to help.
That’s not meant to be insulting: it’s just honest. Most people wouldn’t pass the test if they took it tomorrow, so they aren’t going to be able to teach someone else to drive or pass the test.
However, part of the problem here is that although most people wouldn’t pass the test if they took it again, most of those firmly believe they would.
I like to take one of the parents out with me at some point so I can show them what to look for when they are supervising the pupil. A bad habit can be formed in an instant, but it can take many months to get rid of, so it makes sense that the pupil doesn’t get mixed messages.