Everythingl You Need to Know with BSM

Whether you’re having a hard time with your current driving instructor or you’re simply looking for a driving instructor that can help you get your licence, finding the right one is really important. There are lots of great instructors out there, but unfortunately, there are some bad ones too, so knowing how to spot them can come in really handy!

We’re a helpful bunch at BSM, so we’ve put together a list of 5 signs of a bad driving instructor, so that you can give them a wide berth. So if you’re sitting comfortably, we’ll begin.

Before you even start driving, it’s a good idea to check that the instructor you’re using has the appropriate qualifications to be able to teach you. All licensed driving tutors need to clearly display their driving qualification licence on the front windscreen and if you can’t see one, it can be a really worrying sign.

They need to have the right one too! If their licence is pink, with a triangle on it, this means that they’re only a trainee, whereas a fully qualified instructor will have one with a green octagon. If you can’t see either, it’s worth asking why, as they might be teaching you illegally.

Anyone who’s ever learnt to drive will know how important patience is, as your confidence can be easily knocked. Any driving tutor worth their salt will have a really patient personality and certainly won’t get annoyed with you if you get something wrong!

All you should be worrying about is driving safely and trying to learn the ropes, so if your driving instructor has a short temper, they almost certainly fall into the ‘bad’ category.

Constructive criticism is part and parcel of learning to drive, so you should expect feedback - as otherwise you won’t know when you’ve made an error. If you know that you’re making mistakes during your lessons, but your instructor isn’t pointing them out to you, this again is a bad sign.

A good driving instructor needs to be a bit strict sometimes to make sure that you’re learning what you need to know for your test, so they won’t usually let these mistakes slide. What you can bet on is your examiner picking up these mistakes on your driving test, so this instructor feedback is really important.

The relationship you have with your instructor is a quite unique one, as you begin as total strangers and go through what can be quite a bonding experience. A certain amount of friendliness and informality can be really helpful, however, there is a point where over-friendliness can turn into unprofessionalism.

If your instructor’s behaviour crosses over that line, it can be a sign that you’ve got a bad driving one. Sure, they may really know their stuff, but if those boundaries aren’t respected, it can lead to trouble.

While it might be ok for your passenger to take a call on their mobile once you’ve got your full driving licence, it’s not ok for your instructor to do the same. They’re supposed to be supervising you the whole time and taking control if they spot danger, so they shouldn’t allow themselves to be distracted by a phone call.

If your instructor takes a call while you’re driving, this is a major sign that they may not be the best around.

So, there you have it! There are many signs that can point towards a bad driving instructor, but BSM is here to help you avoid them. Not all driving schools have the same standards, but the good news is that now you’re better prepared to spot them.