DRIVE Driving Lessons Kings Lynn

13/06/2026

Another example of the devastation caused by someone using their mobile phone whilst driving. Innocent people seriously injured, a very young child, lost their life needlessly. RIP 😭

Just DON’T do it!

From Lincolnshire Police

Hristo Iliev, 32, of Hide Close, Boston, has been sentenced after causing the death of a 20-month-old toddler.

At 4:45pm on Wednesday 19 March 2025 Iliev was driving east on the A17 towards Holdingham roundabout, near Sleaford, in a Volkswagen Passat, when he approached a queue of slow-moving traffic as it reached the roundabout. Stationary at the rear of the queue was a Kia Ceed, which was behind an Audi A5 as they too approached the roundabout.

Iliev (pictured) failed to react and brake for the cars ahead, and he ploughed into the rear of the Kia, which in turn hit the Audi ahead. 20-month-old Finley Baker was seated in the rear near side of the Kia, restrained in a rear facing child seat that was attached with Isofix fixings. Finley sustained serious injuries as a result of the collision and sadly died two days later from those injuries.

The driver of the Kia, Chloe Baker, and her other 8-year-old son at the time of the collision, who was also in the rear of the car, were conveyed to hospital for treatment. Chloe Baker received serious shoulder injuries in the collision, subsequently requiring major reconstructive surgery.

Following the collision, Iliev was arrested and blood samples obtained for testing, as well as two mobile phones being seized from him for examination. The samples subsequently showed no traces of any drink or drugs in his system.

Following an extensive investigation by our Serious and Forensic Collision Investigation Units Iliev was charged with the two offences that he was sentenced for at court today. Technical examinations of the vehicles involved found no issues that were contributory in the collision.

Iliev’s mobile phones were subsequently examined as part of the investigation. This found that in the seven minutes preceding the collision, the phones had both been used. However, one phone in particular was being used to access both TikTok and an Apple TV application.

Evidence of video viewing, uploading and downloading was evident. Crucially in the moments before the collision occurred, the examination found that the TikTok application was in use and a video was playing.

The investigation further established that the collision was solely due to the driving of Iliev and that none of the other vehicles involved could have done anything to avoid the collision occurring.

In interview, Iliev provided a prepared statement to the officers and then went no comment to all further questions that were put to him.

Detective Sergeant James Perring, from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This collision was due to the dangerous driving of Iliev when he selfishly paid no attention to his driving as he watched videos on his devices. Those actions cost a young toddler his life and seriously injured another, destroying lives in a way which can never be undone.

“The importance of concentration and not being distracted cannot be overstated. This was a wholly preventable collision, and I feel nothing but disappointment for the way he has so pointlessly destroyed lives. I would implore anybody thinking of behaving in the same way never to do so.”

During sentencing the court heard that Iliev had previously received fixed penalties for speeding and for using his mobile phone whilst driving.

Iliev was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months imprisonment at Lincoln Crown Court after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and serious injury by dangerous driving. He was also banned from driving for a total of ten years and six and a half months and must take an extended re-test before being allowed to drive again.

12/06/2026

Copied from a Police report

A man who was driving on the A12 whilst watching videos on social media and caused the death of a loving dad has been jailed for eight years.

Ismaeel Malik had been on the road for two hours at 9.30am on Tuesday 22 October 2024 when he drove into the back of a VW Polo being driven by Norman Case.

It was stationary in traffic close to Kelvedon.

During Malik's journey, our phone analysis found he interacted with the handset numerous times, with the TikTok app launched 22 times.

It had been playing for a total of 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Tragically, at 9.33am, Mr Case’s car detected the collision and made an emergency SOS call.

Phone analysis showed Malik's TikTok app had been playing consistently from 9.30am.

When the collision happened, his car was still travelling at 70mph.

DI Mark Fraser said: "This was so much more than a momentary lapse of concentration. This was persistent, illegal and dangerous use of a phone whilst driving.

“Malik's actions took the life of Norman Case – a loving dad of two who had everything to live for.

"To anyone who uses their phone or considers using their phone whilst driving – please do not. No video, no message, and no notification is worth a life.”

🔗 You can read more about this investigation below, link in the comments ⤵️

12/06/2026

Congratulations to Tia on passing her test this morning, you’ve worked hard to get here and I think it was worth the early start 🥴😂 been a pleasure meeting and teaching you. Enjoy car hunting and stay safe ☺️

11/06/2026

Borrowed from another instructor

🚗 For those pupils who feel that it's unfair if an instructor removes their car for a driving test, please let me explain for those that do not know how driving instructors are monitored -

🚗 In recent years, the DVSA decided to change the way in which we, as instructors are monitored on our test performances......In presenting a candidate to test, they MUST be at a safe standard for a driving test, to make informed decisions without the help of their instructor and for the examiner to confidently sign the PASS CERTIFICATE.

🚗 If an instructor has too many FAILS, it can trigger what is known as a Standards Check, whereby a DVSA Enforcement agent (yep, stupid title) gets to sit in the back of the instructors lesson and score their performance 🤔 Grade A Grade B or FAIL... Now you may think that this is a good thing, to check on how instructors teach/value for money etc!

🚗 However, an instructor can be the BEST, with fantastic rapport with their pupils, informative and liveability BUT if they FAIL their Standards Check 3 times, they LOSE their livelihood and their badge removed!!!

🚗 So, before any of you judge that its harsh of the instructor to refuse the use of their car, if they feel that YOU are not at the acceptable standard to pass...Think again! To you, it's a rearranged driving test but to them - It could be the difference between TEACHING OR NOT!

🚗 We, any of us do not make the decision out of spite/nastiness or vindictiveness BUT ultimately to KEEP YOU SAFE!

(Borrowed from another instructor)

🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗

08/06/2026

I’ve been telling my pupils about splashing pedestrians and they’re genuinely shocked!

08/06/2026

If you’re looking for driving lessons, I’m currently full but should have a couple of spaces mid July, so get in touch for more information and to get put on my list - I already have pupils booked in for Sept/Oct as spaces go quickly and they’re on a first come first served basis.

I will always answer queries as quickly as I can, if I’m on lessons then it will take a little longer, but I’ll always answer the same day.

Sometimes messages go into my spam and I don’t see them, so if you’ve messaged and not had a reply by later that same day, please message again or pop a note on my FB page and I will get in touch.

Thank you to all my past pupils, who gave me the opportunity to get them to test standard and share the joy when they passed. Thank you to all my current pupils who have trusted me to help them get to test standard and to my future pupils who are waiting to start their journey, it is a privilege to share the journey with you all.

Stay safe everyone

Mandy 😊

07/06/2026

Copied from another instructor and so important to understand.

Your pass rate doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a good instructor.

That statement often makes people uncomfortable.

And before anyone rushes to the comments, a strong pass rate can absolutely be an indicator that some things are being done well. It may reflect good lesson structure, effective communication, and learners arriving at test well prepared.

The problem arises when pass rate becomes the primary measure of instructional quality.

Teaching someone to pass a driving test is not the same as training someone to become a safe, adaptable driver.

Skill is not behaviour.

Memorisation is not understanding.

Repetition is not adaptation.

A learner may be able to recite routines, follow instructions, and perform competently on familiar routes.

But what happens when the situation changes?

What happens when the weather deteriorates, emotions rise, passengers become a distraction, fatigue sets in, or an unexpected hazard appears?

Can they still make safe decisions?

Can they still adapt?

Can they still think independently?

Because otherwise, all we’ve created is a driver who can talk the talk.

The real question is whether they can walk the walk.

An instructor waving a pass rate as a badge of honour and proof that they are good at their job is understandable.

But pass rates alone don’t tell us what happens after the test.

The driving test is a 40-minute snapshot demonstrating the minimum standard required to hold a licence.

It does not measure how a driver will respond to real-world pressures weeks, months, or years later.

If pass rates alone were the defining measure of instructional quality, we would expect post-test collision rates among novice drivers to be far lower than they are.

Yet newly qualified drivers continue to be disproportionately represented within KSI (Killed or Seriously Injured) statistics.

That should give us pause.

Perhaps the question isn’t:

“How many of my learners passed?”

Perhaps the better question is:

“What kind of drivers did I help create?”

Our responsibility as trainers has to extend beyond a 40-minute test.

We are not simply preparing people to pass an exam.

We are helping to shape the attitudes, habits, awareness, and decision-making processes that people will carry with them for years after they receive their licence.

Passing matters.

But developing safe, responsible, self-reflective drivers matters more.

That’s where the real work begins.

04/06/2026

02/06/2026

🚨From 9 June, learner drivers will only be able to move their driving test to nearby test centres.

If you book a new test from this date, you will only be able to move your test to:

✅ any of the 3 centres nearest to where your test is booked

✅ the test centre you first booked at on that current booking

If you have an existing booking, the new rule will apply to where your test is booked at on 9 June – not where you first booked.

Read more about the changes to the driving test booking rules 👉

The rules for booking and managing car driving tests will change from spring 2026. Find out what the changes are and how they affect you.

28/05/2026

Copied from another page but so worth reading, makes you think…..

If I told you one group of drivers causes one in five road deaths in Britain, you would probably assume they made up half the people on the road.

They do not.

Drivers aged 17 to 24 make up just 7% of licence holders.

But they account for 20% of road deaths.

That is not a tiny imbalance.
That is a proper alarm bell.

And now road safety experts are pushing for Graduated Driving Licences.

Which basically means:
No late-night driving.
No car full of your mates.
Longer learning periods before you can even take the test.

Straight away, people will split into two camps.

One side saying:
“Good. About time.”

The other saying:
“Oh brilliant, another layer of rules for people who already pay a fortune for insurance.”

But then you look at the numbers again.

In parts of Canada where these rules came in, young driver deaths reportedly fell by more than 80%.

Not 8%.
EIGHTY.

That is the sort of statistic that makes even the most anti-nanny-state person stop and think for a second.

Northern Ireland is already bringing in its own version this October after 164 people were killed or seriously injured in crashes involving drivers aged 17 to 23.

Meanwhile, the Government in England has ruled it out because they do not want to “unfairly penalise young drivers.”

Which sounds lovely in a press release.

But slightly less convincing when one in five road deaths is sitting there staring at you from the page.

Now personally?

Part of me thinks some of the restrictions sound completely over the top.

But then I remember every Friday and Saturday night drive home where some lad in a financed hatchback comes flying towards you at 70mph with four passengers, full beam on, music shaking the windows, and apparently no intention of surviving the evening.

And suddenly the curfew does not seem QUITE so dramatic.

Maybe the uncomfortable truth is this:

Most young drivers are absolutely fine.

But the small percentage who are not…
Are catastrophic.

What do you reckon?
Sensible safety measure or classic British overreaction?