It’s not what you think…
If you ask most people what they think the most important quality or skill you’d need to become a great driving instructor, most will tell you one thing. Being an excellent driver, of course! But that is in fact one of the least important skills needed, and great driving skills aren’t an entry requirement to driving instructor training.
In reality, being a good driving instructor requires a diverse collection of characteristics and qualities, most of which are naturally present in a person and can’t be taught.
Do you possess any of these key skills and traits? Would you be a good driving instructor? Find out below…
Patience
Patience really is key with this job, as it is in any role where you are supporting and tutoring someone as they learn a new skill. Everybody will go at their own pace, and some may take longer to become confident in some things compared with others. If you aren’t a patient person, you’ll likely get frustrated and fed up waiting for learners to progress in certain areas or will find the whole learning process itself tiresome. Impatience can also lead to some driving instructors pushing or rushing their students, which is unsafe and affects their confidence and progress.
Excellent communication skills
It’s difficult to stress just how important communication is for driving instructors. As you sit beside a learner driver, your communication is essentially the only thing keeping you both safe on the roads – alongside your dual controls! Although you can show and demonstrate, this is something learners have to do themselves in order to develop their driving skills – so everything has to be explained fully and clearly in a proactive and reactive manner as you navigate the roads and the learning process together.
Some of the concepts of driving and certain techniques aren’t easy to articulate or put into words, so being able to do that in a way that is accessible and easy to understand truly is a remarkable skill and one that is in our view essential if you want to become a great driving instructor.
We’ve witnessed poor communication from instructors and seen how easily it can lead to near misses. If a learner mishears or misunderstands you, it only takes a split second or one mistake to cause you to have to take over controls. Communication is crucial not only from an educational viewpoint, but from a safety perspective, too.
Warmth
Learner drivers are often naturally nervous – understandably so. Unlike other skills, learning to drive requires you to get out there and practice out on the roads with other road users, even when you’re not confident or proficient as a driver. It’s scary and challenging and sometimes learners are under external pressures from parents or peers as well as their own internal anxieties. Maybe they need to pass so that they can secure a new job, or go to college. Maybe this is their ninth attempt at learning to drive. Perhaps a parent is pressuring them to pass quickly. Empathy and understanding help put your students at ease and in turn, make them better learner drivers.
Learners need to feel safe with you and supported by you. A friendly face can really help to soften some of those nerves, especially during the first few lessons. Being a naturally warm, friendly and supportive person really is an excellent personality trait to possess as a driving instructor.