Bought an automatic car? Congrats! It’s time to zoom through the streets then!
What did you say? You have not passed the driving test yet and are preparing for it?
It’s an agreed fact that learning to drive an automatic car is way easier than manual driving. However, that does not mean passing the test would be any easier with an automatic vehicle. In the UK, there is no separate driving test for people with automatic vehicles. You need to go through the same set of tests applicable to people with manual vehicles.
No, we are not here to discourage you. We are suggesting that a driving school may do just as good for you as it does in case of manual driving. A qualified automatic driving instructor in a driving school may guide you through the test procedure and you may end up passing the test much sooner.
If you are not sure about how to choose the best Automatic Driving School with experienced driving instructors, you are at the right place. Simply go through this blog. From the inputs we have provided in this blog, you would be able to make informed decisions about how to choose the best driving school that suits your unique need.
Let’s start then…
Check these points out before deciding on the automatic driving school of your choice
- Make sure to check the credentials of the instructors
There are two categories of licenses for the driving instructors in the UK- an ADI or PDI. When an instructor completes the entire course (with 3 mandatory tests), he is awarded the ADI license by the DVSA. He will need to display a blue badge in his car. On the other hand, an instructor with a PDI license must have completed 2 of the 3 mandatory tests. A PDI holder will need to flaunt a pink badge in his car. A PDI is allowed to teach the learners for 6 months only and by this time, he must complete the remaining test successfully. If he fails to clear, his license will expire and he will not be allowed to teach anyone. Therefore, when you are in a driving school, please check the certification levels of the instructor attached to you.
- Do not hesitate to ask questions
Before deciding on the automatic driving school, you should ask the following questions –
- How many years has the school been providing lessons?
- What is the annual average pass rate?
- What is the average time taken to make a student ‘test-ready’?
- Are you allowed to change an instructor midway if you are not feeling comfortable?
- Is the pickup & drop service available?
- What is the refund policy, if you are not satisfied with the lessons and want to quit?
- Look out for recommendations
Some of your friends & family members may have got enrolled in a driving school and have passed the test of late, with flying colours. You may reach out to them for recommendations. Such ‘tried and tested’ information will surely help you find the best driving school with quality automatic driving instructors.
You will be surprised to know that it is not quite easy to find driving schools that provide experienced automatic driving instructors. Automatic driving is still considered a grey area in the UK and this is why the number of instructors specialising in automatic driving is still less, compared to manual instructors. This is why you need to do due diligence before deciding on the best automatic driving school around. If you want to know more, feel free to reach out to us.