Driving Instructor Introduction

DAVID GILBERT

Originally qualified in hotel management, I spent a number of years as a purser or hotel manager aboard several of
P & O’s cruise ships around the world.

On leaving the sea, I became a sales training and then sales manager for an Anglo-Dutch commercial publishing business in the UK.

Subsequently an opportunity arose for me in the City to develop into a sales director in financial data/information, for what was then part of the Financial Times Group dealing with clients across the UK & Europe.

Following nearly 17 years in the Square Mile, and then three years with a smaller financial software organisation, I’m now harnessing all the experience and skills learnt over those years ,  to both develop my own driving instructor business and utilise my training and client facing skills, to help pupils become safe, considerate and responsible road users.

In my spare time I’m a keen mountain biker but also a member of Harlequins rugby club.

SafeDrive 4 Life Responsibilities

The general ethos or mission statement of SafeDrive 4 Life is to provide a safe, secure and professional environment in which to learn, develop and improve the pupil’s ability to drive a motor vehicle.

Whilst in the short to mid-term that will include being sufficiently competent to pass the DVSA theory and practical tests, SafeDrive 4 Life endeavours to prepare new and experienced drivers for a lifetime on the roads that is safe, responsible and considerate to other road users.

To this end, your SafeDrive 4 Life instructor’s responsibility will be to:

• Provide you with lesson tuition at the hourly rate communicated as agreed
• Recommend what are, in their opinion, the most appropriate training methods and aids to help you study for your theory and hazard perception test;
• Design a course of lessons to match your specific and individual driving and learning needs from your first lesson right through to your practical test;
• Provide you with lessons that will usually last two hours or such other duration as you and your instructor will agree in advance;
• Provide a presentable, modern, properly maintained and dual controlled car for each lesson;
• Recommend where appropriate, advanced courses to help you develop your skills for; motorway driving, driving in extreme weather conditions and Pass Plus;
• Give you relevant feedback during your lesson and record your development at the end of each lesson;
• Monitor your progress, advise and recommend what is, in their opinion, the appropriate time to book your mock practical test and once it has been agreed between you both, apply for your practical driving test and where required, they will advise whether it should be subsequently rescheduled;
• Provide training on a one-to-one basis with no other learner in the car;
• Honour the full time booked for each lesson, which should include an introduction, practical training and a debrief at the end of your lesson;