Who is a driving instructor and what do they do? Driving instructors teach the theory of driving and the maintenance of motor vehicles, as well as the practical side of it. They also teach the rules and regulations of road traffic (the “highway code”) or other kinds of vehicles (trams, trains etc. according to the field of transport in question).
What are the activities of the driving instructor? Lectures on rules and regulations governing road traffic (tram, or other transport) – lectures about the construction and functioning of the vehicle and its parts – lectures about methods of driving – gives driving lessons on driving simulators, in the case of cars, sometimes also on training grounds – driving with the pupil in various traffic situations (suburbs, city, winding roads, traffic lights, entering and leaving traffic lanes, level crossings etc.) – training for special situations: hill starts, parking the car etc. – ensuring the pupil’s safety during training runs – demonstrating and performing basic maintenance with the pupil – entering pupils for driving exams, participating during the driving test – in the case of cars, some training drives with customers, who already own a driving licence but have done no driving lately and who want to regain their driving proficiency. Some instructors specialise in giving practical driving lessons, others specialise in lecturing. [These responsibilities and activities may vary from one country to another according to the national regulations – check and modify when translating to your national database]
Where is it done and under what conditions? The job is carried out in classrooms of driving schools, on training grounds and of course on the road or on rails. All kinds of stress connected with road traffic must be expected, to an even greater extent than for normal drivers. During practical driving instruction, work outside normal hours must be expected.
What tools/equipment do they use? The vehicle, which is used for driving lessons, also car or traffic simulators, models etc.
What do you need to succeed? You need at least vocational training, possession of a driving licence and a licence to teach driving on the kind of vehicle concerned, as well as ability to concentrate, rapid responses, reliability, and ability to deal with and teach other people.