Stoned and Busted: Driving Instructor Arrested for Drug Driving

Imagine you’re in the middle of a driving lesson and a police car puts on its blue lights right behind you.

It would be a heart-stopping moment as you pull over and wait to discover what exactly you’ve done wrong. That’s what happened to one 17-year-old learner in Slough, Berkshire.

However, it wasn’t the learner the cops wanted to talk to – it was the instructor.

After a tip-off that the ADI was “under the influence of cannabis”, the police had tracked down the instructor’s car before stopping it in a built-up area during the day.

Pot luck

Cue the instructor being tested for drug use and, according to Thames Valley Police, “shockingly, the driving instructor tested positive for cannabis”, and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of drug driving.

While the ADI has been released pending the results of a blood test, the police say due to the profession the instructor is in, “all necessary authorities will be notified as we have a duty of care to safeguard those involved”.

Serious penalties

Being caught driving under the influence if you’re a driving instructor is dealt with harshly by the authorities.

While normal drivers can expect a year ban at least, driving instructors can expect up to a four-year ban if they are convicted of drug or drink driving.

The punishment is severe because approved instructors are expected to teach learners responsibly, all while promoting road safety.

Under the influence

Other instructors have been caught driving under the influence in the past.

For instance, in 2015, both a learner and an instructor in Surrey were detained after the student tested positive for drugs and the ADI was found to be four times over the limit.

Meanwhile in 2018, an instructor tested positive for cocaine after being pulled over during a lesson.

Now the good news

While such incidents may be shocking, do bear in mind that there are thousands of instructors teaching life saving skills to learners across the UK every day.

That means the above cases are the exception, not the norm, with nearly all of Britain’s ADIs offering an excellent – and safe – service.

Also remember that driving instructors must go through extensive training to ensure they are fit and ready to teach. They must also pass a background check to see if they have a criminal record.

According to government guidance, “it’s… unlikely that you’ll be classed as a ‘fit and proper’ person if you’ve been found guilty of… driving under the influence of drink or drugs.”

Know Your Code

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Main photo by Michael Barnes on Unsplash