Short Notice Driving Test Cover Requests.

* Non Customer Short Notice Driving Test Coverage Requests*

Im just posting this update, as currently I am getting a high number of enquiries from around the uk, asking me to “Cover My Driving Test”.

Let me explain the situation and our stance on this.

The whole country is currently experiencing long delays getting driving tests from the DVSA. This is because of the backlog that was caused when COVID hit. Although the DVSA have said it is addressing the issue, the waiting time for driving tests does not seem to be improving much and continues to cause frustration for all learner drivers needing to pass.

Due to this issue and the general public needing to get driving: people are trying to book tests wherever they may find one, either outside their area or by using mobile phone apps to find cancellations and last minute test slots. This usually means that they need a car to use for the test, or need a new/different instructor to take them for the test, as it is outside the area they live, or their current instructor cant/wont or doesnt cover the place booked.

At least twice a week I am receiving calls of this nature.

“Hi, Im ringing you as I have a test booked for next week and my instructor has let me down / fallen ill / his car is broken / cant / wont take me for my test / says Im not ready for my test……………….etc”, “Can you take me?, I only need one or two lessons before and the use of your car for the test as I can drive and I just need to learn the area?”.

Trust me. When I get these phone calls, I understand your desparation and frustration, and I dont like having to disappoint anybody.

I have been an Instructor a long time now, and as you can imagine have heard all sorts of things from students about their driving and other instructors they have had, so I always take what I hear with a pinch of salt and assess my student and form my own opinion of their driving standards.

Assessing somebodys driving cannot be done in “one or two hours”. To make proper assesments we need to see the student driving in all sorts of different traffic, road and weather conditions. This takes time and many hours…….

As an approved DVSA instructor, we agree to criteria to stay on the register of Approved instructors. One of the criteria is that we agree to be continually assessed and monitored with regard to our standard as an instructor. The way the DVSA conduct this, is by recording all the driving test information collected during a students driving test and linking this to our information. ie. how the student performs on a test has a direct link to how the DVSA views our standards as instructors. Together with this information we are also subject to be tested randomly by having our driving lessons watched and recorded. (This is called a STANDARDS CHECK). The results from all this can determin if we can stay on the register of approved instructors or not. ie. Can we keep our job!!

We also agree to teach a complete sylabus and ensure that the students we present for their driving test are of a high enough standard and are safe to be presented for the test.

You can also imagine the risk the examiners take everyday. They have no idea as to the candidates skill level when they get in the car with them!.

My job as an instructor is to ensure the person I teach is given a skill for life, and that skill is to be a safe and compitent driver.

This is the service we provide. Training from what ever level you are currently at, to a competent and safe driver, over however many hours that takes.

A service WE DO NOT PROVIDE is : “A couple of lessons and the use of our car for a driving test, because your current instructor cant help you with the one you have booked”

The reasons we dont offer this service are as follows:

1. We cant assess your driving in a small number of hours.

2. We are not risking the safety of anybody on an unknow variable

3. Our car IS our main business tool and we are not risking its safety

4. We have committed our time and resources to our existing customers – They are our priority.

5. Your test result can directly effect our job as an instructor.

If you are not currently a customer and wish to use our services to help you prepare for your driving test, you need to add yourself to our waiting list and go through our assessment process. There are no shortcuts to this.

Hope this explains why we have to say no.