Checklist of questions to ask a potential driving instructor

Are you looking for a driving instructor? Did your last Perth driving school fail you in your expectations and failed to prepare you suitably for your driving assessment? When it comes to searching for a reputable driving school and a qualified and reliable instructor, neither rushing nor being nonchalant would help.

For starters, how do you differentiate between a good driving instructor from a bad one? Learning to drive the correct way from the start is very important. Equally as important is engaging the right instructor who will be able to set you on the right path. How do you assess the suitability of a potential driving instructor? Here is a checklist of some questions you can ask to help you make an informed decision.

Are you a fully licensed and qualified driving instructor?

There are prerequisites before anyone can teach another person to drive for payment, reward or remuneration. A driving instructor must hold a Driving Instructor’s License from the Western Australian Department of Transportation. To obtain this license, an instructor needs to pass a theory and a practical driving assessment that assess an applicant’s ability to provide driving instructions to a learner driver. Remember that an unlicensed instructor could be teaching you incorrectly and could potentially put you and others in danger.

Will you handle all the lessons throughout the course?

Knowing your driving instructor and establishing a comfortable learning environment with him/her are essential to achieve positive and effective results. Having multiple driving instructors throughout the entire duration of your tuition will not be advantageous to you. Your new instructor may need to familiarize your current abilities before taking you to the next level. This will take more time, and more time means additional costs. If you go for local driving schools in Perth, they are more likely to provide you with a more personal teaching approach by letting you remain with the same instructor throughout.

Do you have extensive experience as a driving instructor?

Experience remains the best teacher of all. A driving instructor with a few years of teaching experience will have good knowledge of the car test routes used for the driving test – he’d know them like the back of his hand. He/she can provide you with proper training to navigate difficult areas. Extensive experience will enable driving instructors to have perfected teaching methods and adapt such methods to suit an individual’s varying abilities.

What type of car do you teach in and do I use the same car for every lesson?

A small and easy to drive car is more ideal to learn driving because it will be more maneuverable. It will also help in performing some maneuvers more easily such as 3-point turn, left corner reverse, parallel parking etc. A tuition car fitted with dual control is the most ideal for training so that in case of an emergency, your instructor will able to slow the car down or stop it altogether.

In as much as having the same driving instructor is advantageous, using the same car is too. A different car for every lesson will have you groping around for the clutch, the gears, etc. Everything will feel different each time you sit in a different car and you’ll be spending more time in familiarizing your way around rather than concentrating on your lessons. This may also affect your confidence and ease of mind during the lesson.

How much will it cost me?

The point of saving this question for last is because good value for money is a whole different story to ‘cheap’. An instructor charging considerably lower fees is likely to be someone who employs the strategy to gain students. On the other hand, an ‘expensive’ instructor is charging a higher rate because he’s worth every penny. A good instructor who can teach and prepare you to the standard, will help you pass the test with fewer lessons and fewer assessment attempts thus saving you money.

Always do your homework by speaking to family or friends for recommendations. Taking driving lessons is more than just to help you pass your assessment, it is about learning safe driving and developing good habits right from the start for your own safety and the safety of others.


For a great driving instructor in Perth, City West Driving School is home to a home of expert, qualified and affordable driving instructors that will do their very best to ensure you pass your driving test.