Virtual Driving Instructor FAQs for ADIs
What exactly is Virtual Driving Instructor?
It's a series of 25 audio driving lessons, in MP3 format, guiding a learner driver from learning to control the vehicle through to driving test. Click here for the course contents.
How should the learner use this course?
They should download it to their i-Pod, MP3 player or phone, or burn to disc, to listen to in the car with their accompanying driver.
Will they be driving whilst the audio is playing?
No. Each lesson starts with the lesson brief, introducing the learner to the objectives of the lesson. During this phase they are asked, at various points, to pause the audio to discuss with their accompanying driver. Then they are told to pause the audio to go off and practise. At the end of the practice they should stop in a suitable place to continue listening; here they will be asked to rate their progress and identify any problems they had. A list of common learner errors may be given or sometimes another brief concerning further development of the learning objectives.
How does the learner and their accompanying driver know where to go to carry out each lesson practice?
Each audio lesson is accompanied by a set of lesson notes which should be printed out to take in the car. The notes set out the aims of the lesson, type of location to choose, the principal learning points and also suitable reading references, links to helpful websites and a list of the relevant Highway Code rules.
This sounds like quite a commitment for the accompanying driver! Do you think parents, or others, will be interested in doing this?
Until there is a better understanding of the benefits of this course, then there may well be some reluctance from parents or partners to get involved. However, where drivers do agree to undertake this task in accordance with the course, then they will find the process both enjoyable and helpful for their own driving. After all, how often do you hear drivers declare they have forgotten the things they were taught when they learned to drive? Some of the very poor driving we witness daily on our roads are testament to that fact! You may even find yourself giving some refresher driving lessons to the accompanying drivers; perhaps you could set up your own group workshop to discuss a variety of driving issues, related to helping the learner to practise.
Surely, though, most learners just want to have weekly lessons with a driving instructor?
Is that because they believe it's the only way to pass the driving test? Do you, as the instructor, think that's the best way to produce safe drivers? How many of your lessons are 'repeat' lessons because your learners forget what you taught them in the previous lesson? Do you ever find this frustrating?
But that is how we earn our living, so this 'virtual' course is going to take work away from ADIs!
Certainly it will reduce the number of test focused lessons the learner will need, but your job can now become much more safety focused, developing your learners' awareness and planning skills, their ability to assess and manage the risks and an appreciation of the causes of crashes. You will be able to cover the higher levels of the GDE matrix, guiding your learners to consider their journey options and the effects of their personality and lifestyle choices on their driving safety. (For further help and information on the importance of the GDE in your training, please contact Jackie)
Most of my learners don't have any practice between lessons because the insurance is too expensive, so how could this course benefit these learners?
For insurance, they could use Collingwood which, because of its flexibility, could prove to be a convenient and reasonably cheap option for your learners; and they will be building up a no-claims bonus for themselves at the same time. Collingwood will pay you £20 for every learner you introduce, so it's worth your while to promote this insurance option. Click the 'Insurance' link in the menu bar for further information.
For learners who just cannot have practice driving between lessons, then the audio will at least help them to remember all the routines they need to know and will help to further develop their understanding of the risks they need to manage on the road.
But I still don't see how this can possibly help my business!
Encouraging your learners to have private practice that is structured to follow the DSA syllabus and aims to eliminate the 'bad habits' learners so often pick up from other drivers, will offer you these benefits:
- a higher first time pass rate, so enhancing your reputation
- getting the majority of your learners to test within the 40hrs quoted by the DSA, and with test sheets that have minimal driver faults on them, will most definitely help to raise your profile as a good driving instructor!
- because you will have had time to teach higher level driving skills, you can be much more confident of the post-test safety of your learners
- you can guide your learners as to which lesson from the VDI course they should use in order to practise the things you've taught them in their driving lesson with you.
- in addition, for every VDI complete course you sell as an affiliate instructor, you will earn £5; if you have a website, you will be able to add a link for all your visitors to purchase the course, whether or not they come to you for driving lessons, so potentially a very lucrative source of income!
To find out how you can start benefiting from this unique system in your business, contact Jackie on 01362 698441 or 07775 667488.
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