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🇬🇧 UK vs GERMANY 🇩🇪Are we doing enough to prepare new drivers?I've been looking at how learner drivers are trained in Ge...
07/10/2026

🇬🇧 UK vs GERMANY 🇩🇪

Are we doing enough to prepare new drivers?
I've been looking at how learner drivers are trained in Germany, and there are some interesting differences.

In Germany, learning to drive isn't simply about being ready for the practical test.

For a Category B licence, learners must complete structured theory training and compulsory practical training that includes:

🚗 Rural/country-road driving
🛣️ Autobahn/high-speed driving
🌙 Driving at dusk or at night

There are 12 compulsory 45-minute "special drives":

➡️ 5 rural/country-road sessions
➡️ 4 Autobahn sessions
➡️ 3 dusk/night sessions

And that's on top of the normal practical training needed to reach the required standard.
Compare that with Great Britain.

A learner can legally take a practical driving test without ever having had a professional driving lesson.

There's no compulsory motorway training.
No compulsory night driving.
No compulsory rural-road training.

That's quite a difference.

What also interests me as an instructor is the philosophy behind the German system.

Their training isn't just about operating a vehicle and passing a test. It includes hazard awareness, understanding the consequences of mistakes, responsibility towards other road users and realistic self-assessment.

That's much closer to what I believe driver education should be about:

Not simply passing a test, but developing a safe driver for life.

I'm not suggesting we simply copy Germany. But with young and inexperienced drivers continuing to be disproportionately represented in serious collisions, perhaps we should be asking:

🤔 Should British learner drivers have to experience a wider range of roads and conditions before they're allowed to take their test?

I'd be interested to hear what parents, learners and fellow instructors think.

🚗 WHY TREAD MATTERSMost drivers know the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm.But knowing the number isn’t the same as und...
06/10/2026

🚗 WHY TREAD MATTERS

Most drivers know the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm.

But knowing the number isn’t the same as understanding why it matters.

Your tyre tread is designed to help move water away from the contact patch, so the tyre can stay connected to the road.

As tread wears down: • less water can be cleared

• grip in the wet reduces
• stopping distances can increase
• the risk of aquaplaning can rise

That’s why I don’t just want learners to memorise the legal minimum.

I want them to understand what the tread is actually doing.

A tyre can be legal and still be far from ideal in wet conditions.

🚗 October is Tyre Safety MonthWe talk a lot about speed, observation and hazard awareness, but your tyres are the only p...
04/10/2026

🚗 October is Tyre Safety Month

We talk a lot about speed, observation and hazard awareness, but your tyres are the only part of the car actually touching the road.

This month, TyreSafe is encouraging drivers to remember ACT:

Air pressure
Condition
Tread

It sounds simple, but these checks can make a huge difference, especially now the roads are getting wetter.

A tyre can still be legal and yet be far from ideal in poor conditions.

That’s why I always want learners to understand why tread matters, not just remember the legal minimum for a test question.

Good tyre knowledge is part of being a safe driver.
Don’t wait for a warning light, a skid, or a near miss. Check them first.

🚗🌳 LEARNING TO DRIVE? YOU NEED RURAL ROAD EXPERIENCE.Learning to drive isn't just about navigating town centres, roundab...
03/10/2026

🚗🌳 LEARNING TO DRIVE? YOU NEED RURAL ROAD EXPERIENCE.

Learning to drive isn't just about navigating town centres, roundabouts and getting ready for the driving test.

Some of the most important training a new driver can receive happens on rural roads.

The latest Department for Transport figures for Great Britain make uncomfortable reading:

⚠️ 923 people were killed on rural roads in 2025.
⚠️ 11,938 people were killed or seriously injured.
⚠️ Rural roads carried around 45% of traffic, yet accounted for 60% of all road fatalities.

And here's another important point: 60mph is a limit, not a target.

Rural driving requires a completely different set of skills.

👀 Reading the road well ahead
🧠 Anticipating what you can't yet see
↪️ Assessing bends correctly
⚖️ Understanding vehicle balance and weight transfer
🚗 Choosing an appropriate speed before the bend
🌳 Recognising limit points
🚜 Anticipating tractors, animals, cyclists and hidden entrances
🛑 Being able to stop safely within the distance you can see to be clear

A learner might be able to handle busy junctions and roundabouts brilliantly, but what happens when they pass their test and find themselves on an unfamiliar country road at night, in the rain, with nobody sitting next to them?

That's why I believe rural-road training should be part of learning to drive, not something drivers are left to figure out after they've passed.

We're not simply preparing people to pass a driving test.

We're preparing them for safe driving for life. 🚗💙

🚗 Should learner drivers be taught more about tyres?Most people learning to drive are taught the basics needed to pass t...
01/10/2026

🚗 Should learner drivers be taught more about tyres?

Most people learning to drive are taught the basics needed to pass the test.

But once you pass, tyre safety becomes your responsibility.

That means understanding: • tyre pressures
• tread depth

• damage and condition

• warning lights such as TPMS

• and why tyres matter so much in wet weather
Tyres are the only part of the car in contact with the road.

So yes, I believe learners should be taught more than just the minimum.

Passing the test is important, but understanding how to keep your car safe afterwards matters just as much.

Safe driving is not just about controlling the car. It’s also about maintaining it.

What do you think?

Should tyre safety be a bigger part of learning to drive?

🚨 DVSA UPDATE: DRIVING TEST SWAPS ARE CHANGINGFrom 1 October, DVSA is changing the way learner drivers can swap driving ...
30/09/2026

🚨 DVSA UPDATE: DRIVING TEST SWAPS ARE CHANGING

From 1 October, DVSA is changing the way learner drivers can swap driving test appointments.
At the moment, both learners need to be available at the same time while DVSA processes the swap.
📅 From 1 October:

📞 The first learner calls DVSA to request the swap.

📞 The second learner then calls DVSA separately to confirm they are happy with it.

⏰ Both learners MUST contact DVSA on the same working day for the swap to be processed.
This should make things a little easier, as both learners will no longer need to coordinate being available at exactly the same time.

Remember, swapping a test still counts as one of the 2 changes allowed on a driving test booking.
Please share with any learner drivers who may find this useful. 👍

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🚨 CAN YOU SPOT THE FAKE? 🚨Following on from yesterday's driving lesson scam warning, take a good look at these two Faceb...
29/09/2026

🚨 CAN YOU SPOT THE FAKE? 🚨

Following on from yesterday's driving lesson scam warning, take a good look at these two pages.

One is my friend John's genuine Navigator Driver Training page in Cardiff.

The other appears to have been set up to impersonate his business.

At first glance, it's frighteningly convincing. 😳

Same business name.

Same logo.

Same car and photographs.

1,500 followers.

33 recommendations.

So how would a learner or parent know?

🔍 LOOK CLOSER...

The suspicious page:

❌ Claims to offer driving lessons across the UK
❌ Directs people towards a Telegram account
❌ Uses copied branding and photographs
❌ Has reviews that make the page appear established

John's genuine page:

✅ Clearly states Cardiff
✅ Links to the established Navigator website
✅ Links to his established social channels
✅ Has a long-standing posting history
And here's the important bit...

⚠️ DON'T RELY ON FOLLOWER NUMBERS OR REVIEWS ALONE.

A professional-looking page doesn't automatically mean it's genuine.

Before paying for driving lessons, search for the driving school independently, check its website, compare contact details and look through its previous posts.

If something doesn't add up, don't send any money until you've verified who you're actually dealing with.

Scammers can copy a logo.

They can copy photographs.

They can copy an entire social media presence.

They can't copy years of genuine history.

Please share this, especially with parents and anyone currently looking for driving lessons. 🚗
Let's make it harder for these scammers to catch people out.

🚨 DRIVING LESSON SCAM WARNING 🚨Learner drivers and parents, please be careful when booking driving lessons through Faceb...
28/09/2026

🚨 DRIVING LESSON SCAM WARNING 🚨

Learner drivers and parents, please be careful when booking driving lessons through Facebook or Instagram.

We've recently seen reports of scammers impersonating genuine driving schools and taking money for lessons that don't exist.

One learner reportedly lost £180 to someone impersonating Navigator Driver Training in Cardiff.

Another reportedly paid £150 for five hours of lessons, before being asked for even more money for "insurance".

🔍 HOW TO SPOT A POSSIBLE SCAM

⚠️ Lessons advertised unusually cheaply
⚠️ Pressure to pay immediately
⚠️ Requests for unexpected extra payments
⚠️ New or suspicious-looking social media profiles
⚠️ Bank/payment details that don't match who you expect to be paying
⚠️ Contact details that don't match the driving school's official website or established pages

✅ BEFORE YOU PAY

Check the driving school independently.
Search for their official website and social media pages yourself rather than relying on links you've been sent.

Check reviews, previous posts and contact details.
If you're unsure, contact the driving school directly before sending any money.

Remember...

A scammer can copy a logo.

They can copy photographs.

They can even copy a page.

Take two minutes to check who you're actually speaking to.

Please share. It could stop another learner or parent losing their money. 🙏

YOUR DRIVING INSTRUCTOR WILL SOON HAVE TO FOLLOW A MANDATORY PROFESSIONAL CODEDVSA is replacing the current voluntary AD...
25/09/2026

YOUR DRIVING INSTRUCTOR WILL SOON HAVE TO FOLLOW A MANDATORY PROFESSIONAL CODE

DVSA is replacing the current voluntary ADI Code of Practice with a mandatory code.

So what does that mean for you as a learner or parent?

It means driving instructors will be expected to meet clear professional standards around:

• safeguarding
• honesty and integrity
• professional behaviour
• fair business practices
• complaints and communication
• maintaining public trust

Being an Approved Driving Instructor is about much more than teaching someone how to pass a driving test.

It’s about creating a safe, professional learning environment and helping people become safer drivers for life.

That’s exactly how it should be.

24/09/2026

🚗🎉 FIRST TIME PASS! 🎉🚗

A massive congratulations to Darren, who passed his driving test FIRST TIME at Bredbury Driving Test Centre with just 4 driving faults! 👏👏

Darren was a really chilled and relaxed learner who picked things up naturally. His mirror work and awareness were excellent, and he never let impatient drivers around him affect his driving. 💪🚘

A fantastic result and thoroughly deserved!
And a huge well done to Darren’s driving coach, Ian, our Automatic Driving Instructor.

This guy is a legend! 🙌😎 Another fantastic result and another testament to the quality of his coaching. 👏🏆

Safe driving for life, Darren! 🚗💨

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