Get to know your Driving Instructor: Rules and Regulations

Are you considering taking a lesson with a driving instructor? While it may be convenient to rely on friends and family to teach you how to drive, at EzLicence, we know that the best test results are achieved by learning from a professional in the field.

That’s where a driving instructor comes in! 

In this article, we’ll discuss driving instructor rules and regulations to help you better understand what driving instructors do and what qualifications they have up their sleeves.

Who regulates driving instructors?

When it comes to driving instructor rules and regulations, each state and territory operates differently.

Victoria

In Victoria, the regulatory body that governs driving instructors is Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria (or CPVV for short). Anyone considering this career path must meet six conditions to become an accredited instructor.

New South Wales (NSW)

Driving instructors in NSW are regulated by the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and must fulfil four conditions to be an authorised instructor.

Queensland

In Queensland, driving instructors are governed by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR). Similar to NSW, the TMR requires prospective driver instructors to meet four conditions to become eligible. 

Western Australia (WA)

Lastly, driving instructors in WA are governed by the Department of Transport, and like Victoria, requires prospective instructors to meet six requirements.

While each state has slight differences in governing bodies and conditions, there is a common theme. 

A driving instructor must hold a full driver’s licence; must be deemed as safe either by a Working With Children’s Check and/or a National Police Check; must have sufficient experience on the road, and must have the relevant qualifications.

What qualifications do you need to be a driving instructor?

Regardless of which state a driving instructor is in or which licencing authority they are governed by, they must all attain the same qualification. 

That qualification is a Certificate IV in Transport and Logistics (Road Transport Driving Instruction), which can be gained from nationally recognised course providers.

EzLicence has relationships with various course providers and state bodies to support prospective driving instructors on their journey to accreditation. 

Do driving instructors pick you up? 

At EzLicence, your driving instructor can meet you at your home. This allows you to drive locally, in an area you’re comfortable with, and means that if you accidentally forget your learner licence inside, you can pop in and get it.

Otherwise, if you meet at another location and forget your learner's licence, you, unfortunately, will not be able to continue with your driving lesson.

Want to know how to prepare for your driving lesson? Read our blog post here.

Can a driving instructor use a mobile phone?  

When looking at the driving instructor rules and regulations, there isn’t a specific state or federal law that specifies a supervisor cannot be on a mobile phone when a learner is driving. 

However, it’s unlikely that a driving instructor will require a mobile phone during a lesson.

Your driving instructor will be responsible for ensuring the safety of any passengers and other road and sidewalk users. Therefore, their attention should be on guiding you through the driving process rather than a device. 

Can you change driving instructors?

You can change driving instructors as many times as you’d like. At EzLicence, we make it easy to find the right driving instructor for you.

Our Driving Lessons search function lets you view all the driving instructors in your area. By clicking on their profile, you’ll be able to learn a little bit about them, what type of transmission they specialise in, what language(s) they speak and how long they’ve been instructing.

This function allows you to choose the driving instructor most aligned with you.

If, after a few lessons, you don’t believe it’s the best match, you can simply return to the Driving Lessons search function and find someone better suited.

Do all driving instructors have dual control?

One driving instructor rule enforced by each state requires driving instructors to have dual control. At EzLicence, all driving instructors must be equipped with dual controls. 

Having dual control provides an added layer of safety to driving lessons, but it should be mentioned that each lesson goes at the pace and level of a student.

Your driving instructor will build on your knowledge and confidence to help you navigate the roads safely and comfortably. The dual control isn’t there to overrun your judgement but to act as a fail-safe where needed.

It’s also important to note that driving instructors can conduct their lessons from a car of your choosing, in which case dual control will not be available. 

Do driving instructors have pedals?

Flowing on from dual control, yes, driving instructors at EzLicence do have pedals as it is a  driving instructor's rule and requirement.

Regardless of their car’s age, transmission or model, a driving instructor’s car must have dual pedals that allow them to break or accelerate in response to traffic conditions.

Can driving instructors book tests?

Any driving or theory test should be booked by the learner driver rather than the driving instructor.

As a learner driver, you’ll be best equipped to pick the date and time that works for you and fill in your relevant details. You’ll also be required to pay the associated costs.

Because of this, the responsibility lies on the learner, and as such, it’s not a driver instructor rule or requirement to book a test for their student.

However, a driving instructor can let you know when you’re ready to sit your test or if you need more practice.

Can you use instructor's car for driving test?

While it’s not a driver instructor requirement or responsibility, you can use your instructor’s car to take your driving test.

As a learner, you’ll have the option to choose in which car you complete your test: your own or your instructor’s.

If you aren’t sure which car to drive during your test, you may want to read our article that explores five reasons why you should book your instructor’s car for your driving test.

What questions will the driving instructor ask?

Your driving instructor will ask you a range of questions during your lessons, especially at the beginning, to better understand your driving level.

They’ll ask you what you’re comfortable with, your concerns, and what questions or queries you may have.

They’ll then build on your knowledge of the road rules and ensure you’re across the assessment criteria for your driving test.

On the flip side of this, your test examiner will ask you to perform a range of driving skills, from turning into streets to parallel parking and merging into traffic safely.

To learn how to prepare for your driving test, read our informative blog post here. 

What do driving instructors test you on?

As a rule, driving instructors conduct lessons rather than assessments. They won’t be testing you so much as guiding you through the driving test requirements.

During your driving test, however, you will be tested on your level of competency in observing the road rules and sharing the road safely with other road users.

Some areas you’ll be assessed on include:

• Driving at the speed level
• Giving way
• Obeying road signs and traffic lights
• Giving way to pedestrians and other road users who have priority
• Parallel parking
• Performing right and left turns
• Maintaining a safe distance from other road users
• Braking and accelerating safely
• Maintaining observational checks.

Want to pass your driving test with flying colours? Avoid these common mistakes and read through these pro tips!

Do driving instructors fail you on purpose?

As driving lessons aren’t the same as driving tests, your driving instructor will not be assessing you and, therefore, won’t be failing you on anything. They will point out where you are making mistakes to avoid a possible fail during your test.

When it comes to your test, your test examiner may fail you if you perform an error that warrants an immediate fail or if you’ve made several mistakes.

We recommend reading through our blog post that dispels all the instant fails and how to avoid them.

Have any more questions about driving instructor rules and regulations? Our blog is full of informative articles to help you navigate your driving journey.

Ready to book your driving lesson with a qualified instructor? Driving instructors are only a click away at EzLicence!