Key sign your driving instructor isn’t qualified amid DVSA crackdown
Learner drivers could be at risk of taking illegal lessons without even knowing
Learner drivers could be at risk of taking their lessons with unqualified instructors, potentially putting themselves in danger. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has already confirmed that it is cracking down on illegal driving instructors performing fraudulent activities.
Usually, a qualified driving instructor will have gone through proper training and an assessment to ensure that they are capable of safely teaching someone how to drive. By law, a driving instructor must be officially approved and qualified to charge money for instructing a learner.
In order to protect learners from potential scams and unsafe driving lessons, the DVSA states that it is actively investigating suspected cases of illegal driving instruction.
It is also conducting targeted operations to catch illegal instructors and unsafe vehicles before they are reported. For instructors, this could in a number of severe fines, prison sentences, and criminal fraud convictions, according to the DVSA.
It has also reported that more than 150 learner vehicles have been stopped and checked while three potential illegal instructors are under investigation.
However, the DVSA is urging members of the public to help share information that could help to identify illegal instructors.
One sign that your instructor isn't qualified
It's important to remember that anyone who charges you to learn to drive must either be a qualified and approved driving instructor or a trainee driving instructor.
A key rule for all instructors is that they must display a badge in their windscreen to prove they're registered with the DVSA.
If they're a qualified driving instructor, their displayed badge will be green while a trainee's badge will be pink. If your instructor doesn't have this badge on their windscreen while carrying out a lesson with you, they may be unqualified and carrying out the lesson illegally.
How to report an instructor you think isn't qualified
The DVSA has confirmed that it is working on developing a form to help people share intelligence more easily with them in regards to potentially illegal instructors. However, the form is not yet live and the government department said it is working on getting the form right.
Despite this, you can still a suspected illegal driving instructor by contacting the DVLA directly. You can do this by either emailing enquiries@dvsa.gov.uk or dialling 0800 030 4103.
If an instructor is caught carrying out illegal driving lessons, they could face the following consequences:
- proceeds of crime investigations
- community service requirements
- substantial fines and compensation orders
- criminal fraud convictions affecting future employment
- prison sentences (including suspended sentences)