15/10/2026
Instructors receive messages like this one asking to hire a dual-control car and have a quick single lesson right before a test. Whilst we completely understand the excitement and rush to get a licence, it is important to understand why virtually no professional driving instructor will ever say yes to this.
Being an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) is not just about supplying a car. It takes hundreds of hours of intensive training, rigorous examinations, and ongoing professional development to qualify and maintain our standards. Our paramount duty—above all else—is road safety and the protection of everyone sharing the road.
When an instructor takes a candidate to a driving test:
Safety & Responsibility: We are legally and ethically accountable for putting a safe driver onto the road. An instructor cannot properly assess your driving habits, hazard perception, or independent decision-making in a single hour.
Vehicle Integrity & Livelihood: Our dual-control vehicles are our livelihood. Handing the keys over to someone whose driving ability is completely unknown poses an enormous risk to the student, the examiner, the car, and the public.
Professional Standards: Taking an unassessed candidate to a test goes against everything the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) promotes regarding safe, structured learning.
If you have booked a test, please ensure you give yourself enough time to train properly with an instructor who can thoroughly assess your skills, address bad habits, and give you honest feedback on whether you are genuinely test-ready.
Learning to drive is a serious, life-saving skill, not a box-ticking exercise. We are always here to help you become safe, confident drivers for life—not just for twenty minutes outside the test centre.
