Have Driving Schools in the UK Bounced Back from Covid?

In the United Kingdom, the process of learning to drive has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The lockdown restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the virus meant that driving schools were forced to close their doors. This had a significant impact on would-be drivers who were in the middle of taking their lessons.

However, the UK government has recently announced a series of measures that will help to get driving schools back up and running. These measures include financial support for driving instructors and an extension of the time limit for taking the driving test.

As a result, it is expected that learning to drive will become easier in the coming months. In addition, the increased flexibility around taking driving lessons is likely to make the process more convenient for many people.

How the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency set standards

The DVSA (Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency) is responsible for setting the standards for driving instruction in the UK. In recent months, they have put in place a number of measures to limit the spread of Covid-19, including reducing the number of people allowed in a car during a lesson and increasing the cleaning between lessons.

This has obviously had an impact on how quickly people can learn to drive, as there are now fewer opportunities to practice. However, the DVSA is still operating and offering driving lessons, so it is still possible to learn to drive despite the pandemic. The main thing is to make sure that you follow all of the guidelines that have been put in place by the DVSA. This will help to keep you and your instructor safe, and it will also help to limit the spread of the virus.

Driving lessons resumed in the UK on July 4th, 2020.

Local driving instructor Graham Quail who runs popular Wirral-based driving school Quails School of Motoring said: “The move was “fantastic news” and “long overdue”, adding that the lockdown period had been “hard” for staff.

The driving school had to close during lockdown because it employed 17 instructors providing lessons in Wirral and surrounding areas including North Wales and Liverpool. The only people who were able to teach students were a few key workers that needed for their jobs.

Mr. Quail further said the school has had systems to curb the spread of coronavirus in place “since before lockdown” – such as cleaning vehicles before and after lessons and providing face masks and gloves for instructors and students. Read more: How to Become an Exam Topper.

UK Government guidance for Driving Schools

The UK government has recently announced a series of measures that will help to get driving schools back up and running.

These measures include financial support for driving instructors and an extension of the time limit for taking the driving test.

As a result, it is expected that learning to drive will become easier in the coming months. In addition, the increased flexibility around taking driving lessons is likely to make the process more convenient for many people. So if you’ve been thinking about learning to drive, now is a good time to start.

The main advice is to clean the car before and after each lesson and to keep the windows open to ventilate the car.

The driving instructor should also wear a face mask, and the student should sit in the front passenger seat. In addition, it is advised that lessons be kept as brief as possible and that only essential passengers be transported in the car. By following these guidelines, people can help to reduce the spread of Covid-19 while still being able to continue their driving lessons.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-driving-lessons-and-tests