A Bournemouth based Driving Instructor has inadvertently demonstrated to his students what NOT to do after being caught using his mobile phone whilst behind the wheel of his instructor vehicle.
The Dorset Police Traffic Team reported having seen the driving school car being driven “very slowly” and weaving “all over the road”. Initially, the Police thought a very new learner driver must have been behind the wheel of the car but as they drew alongside the ‘L Plated’ vehicle, they discovered that the opposite was true.
The only person in the vehicle was the instructor, who was clearly seen to be using his mobile phone. A spokesperson for Dorset Traffic Police said: “Apparently he was checking to see if a text had come through.”
This moment of madness not only proved to be an embarrassing mistake for the Driving Instructor, but an expensive and potentially career ending one. Aside from the £200.00 fine the Driving Instructor also received six points on their driving licence. Six penalty points may not seem the like the end of the world to the average driver, especially those without any penalty points to start with; however, for a Driving Instructor, such a lapse in judgement could prove very costly.
Unsurprisingly, Driving Instructors are expected to hold themselves to a higher standard than the average road user and whilst penalty points or even a prior driving ban are not automatically a barr to entry to the profession, the DVLA will most certainly take notice.
Not only is finding yourself in the local press for having been convicted of a driving offence likely to be bad for business, there is a wider issue that current and prospective Driving Instructors should be aware of. Contrary to popular belief, the role of a Driving Instructor is about far more than simply getting a learner driver through their test; it is about educating new drivers on as many aspects of vehicle and road safety as practicable. The dangers of using a mobile phone is just one such lesson.
Are you up for the challenge?
If you are looking for job satisfaction, flexible working hours and the opportunity to be your own boss then a career as a Driving Instructor might just be for you. To find out more about how to make this career a change a reality, head over to
myfourwheels.co.uk today and take your first steps on the road to becoming a driving instructor!
