To mark National Driving Instructor Day, March 16th, we asked driving instructor and road safety advocate Terry Cook to highlight the key role driver training plays in reducing road danger and ensuring responsible driving behaviour. Terry regularly discusses road safety in his podcast – The Instructor Podcast

Not everyone needs a driving instructor.

I think that’s what makes the job so enjoyable.

While some people are able to learn with parents or friends, some need a bit more assistance. Perhaps they have no one to help them, maybe they have additional requirements, or perhaps they just want the help of a trained professional.

Often people from outside the profession think that a learner passing their test is the big win, but for a lot of instructors, it’s the moments in between. It’s the times when a student cracks a smile because they’ve just completed a bay park, or finally has the confidence to take on ‘that roundabout!’ The time when they overcome their own doubts and finally realize that they can do it, is really quite special.

People often don’t see what goes on behind the wheel, the conversations about feeling intimidated by parental pressure or not feeling safe on the road because they’ve seen how a family member reacts to learners on the road.

They don’t see the tears because of the guy who thought it was funny to beep at the learner, or the frustration of not getting it right the first time.

But us driving instructors do.

I’ve assisted so many people in gaining independence, getting promotions, and being able to help struggling family members, just by sitting next to them in a car, asking questions, and listening.

The role of a driving instructor has changed over the years, and now more than ever it’s about creating safe drivers. The test is the least of our priorities. As roads and driving have evolved, we had to as well. More bus and bike lanes, extended give ways, double mini-roundabouts, greater traffic volume, mobile phone use while driving, more parked cars, the list goes on.

It’s why Driving Instructor Day was created on March 16th.

The public perception of driving instructors is still often one of nonchalance or derision. But for most of us, we love it. We love the people we get to help every day, and we love that we can help create a safer driving environment and we want to celebrate that.

So March 16th is now acknowledged in the UK, Switzerland, Australia, the USA, and more, as the day when we take a look at the positive side of our industry. Some people meet up for lunch, others share stories on their social media, while some even host live online podcasts!

We’re not perfect, we’re not always necessary, but we can be a real game-changer.

Updated on: 15 March 2024