Day after day, hour after hour and minute after minute, time ticks by!

You can spend many an hour sitting, reading books, and watching videos, but is that time studying being put to good use?

This may seem like a strange question, but I remember the hours and hours I spent locked away reading books and watching videos all in my quest to become a successful driving instructor. However, looking back, I have realised that a lot of the material I was reading or watching was not actually helping me achieve my goal.

Please don't get me wrong here; a lot of the information I've been taking on board has helped me. The problem was that much of it was too advanced for what I actually needed. Many of the videos I watched at the time seemed priceless, but on reflection, although they showed me what to do and how to do it, they never explained why! This, without a doubt, greatly hindered my progress.

My dad always said Do not run before you can walk and he was so right!

If I could go back now and restart my journey, I would make some massive changes. The Part 1 theory test was not difficult for me. Fortunately, the books provided when I signed up for training, along with the exercises in the workbooks, prepared me well. However, sadly, once passed, I put them aside to gather dust, and as a result, my first attempt at the driving ability test was not very successful. The training I received also lacked something I have discovered over the years, but at the time, I knew no better. The final hurdle, part 3, was a big struggle and took me all three permitted attempts to pass.

All simply because I put the books away! Received inadequate training! And took on a trainee licence (3 in fact) to practice being a poor instructor!

Part 1: Theory and Hazard Perception Test!

Read, read and read all the books again and understand what you are reading. Do not learn it simply by rote! Keep going back to those books, even after that first hurdle has been successfully cleared. Years down the road, I still have them by the bed, and they are well-read, have been replaced many times, and will continue to be used.

Part 2: Test of driving ability!

Those books you should be reading really help you crack this one. Fully understanding road procedure and the rules set out in the Highway Code sets you on the right track and is the bible for driving instructors. The essential skills will help you get the result you need, but don't forget to have your driving assessed by an ADI trainer who knows what is required to pass the Part 2 test. It is not assessed to the same standard as the L test. You have been warned!

Part 3: Test of instructional ability!

Do you know what I am going to say? Read those books and own the knowledge within them! Training that focuses solely on preset tests is not enough. Videos that show you what and how to do but fail to explain why will not fully prepare you for part 3. Driving instructor training should be exactly that: training you to teach people how to drive and to give your pupils a full understanding of what they are doing.

So the training you receive and the time you dedicate to it should do the same, giving you the ability to qualify and go on to become a very successful driving instructor, not simply to pass tests.

Time ticks by; use it wisely!

Chris Deane ADI