The latest data shows that getting hold of an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) to give you lessons is becoming more and more difficult.
Data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency reveals that 70% of 5,000 ADIs polled are currently unavailable to new pupils – despite 20% of instructors increasing their working hours in 2023.
This has led to 63% of ADIs using waiting lists to try and manage the situation more effectively with 10% now having over 20 wannabe students lined up for lessons once they become available. To make matters worse, 15% of ADIs expect to keep waiting lists in place for over a year.
National shortage
Such hikes in demand are reflected by an increase in the number of provisional driving licences being issued. For instance, there was a 3.4% rise in licence demand between May 2023 and May 2024 – a figure that climbed to 6% among 25-to-30-year olds.
According to the AA Driving School, its own pupil registrations are up 5% across the UK in 2024 and have shot up massively in some areas of the country, particularly in densely populated urban areas. For instance, rates are up 127% in Salisbury and 97% in Oldham.
The top ten areas in the UK most in need of driving instructors according to the AA’s research are:
- Liverpool
- Oldham
- Bristol
- West London
- Blackburn
- Edinburgh
- Harrow
- Medway
- Salisbury
- Motherwell
To address the demand it is receiving from prospective pupils, the AA says it needs to recruit 300 more instructors.
“We have seen significant regional booms of increased pupil registrations this year. It’s likely this increase in pupil demand is linked to the high waiting times for driving tests. As it is taking longer for driving instructors to get their current pupils through their test, new pupil slots are not becoming available as often, meaning there is pent-up demand.”
• Camilla Benitz, Managing Director, the AA Driving School
Get a job
The only good news? If you’re currently on the look out for a new job and already have a driving licence, there’s never been a better time to begin training as a driving instructor as you’re practically guaranteed to get a job.
So long as you meet the high standards required to qualify as an ADI in the first place.
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Main image by freepik.