The Difference Between an ADI and a PDI  Driving Instructor?

The question we get asked a lot is what is the difference between a PDI and an ADI? So lets look at the differences....

PDI abbreviates for Potential Driving Instructors (trainee driving instructor in training) and a ADI abbreviate for Approved Driving Instructor (fully qualified driving instructor). In all front passengers window of a driving instructor's training vehicle is ether a green or pink badge displayed in the instructors vehicle .  The green badge proves the instructor is fully qualified (ADI) and the pink badge show the instructor is a trainee (PDI) and is in training to becoming a fully qualified driving instructor.

When you book in with us we will discus with you if the available instructor will be a (PDI) trainee driving instructor or a qualified driving instructor, so it will be your chose if you accept the trainee or not, however please keep reading and gain more information on a trainee's journey so far.

Choosing the right school to learn to drive

When you decide to start learning to drive it is important that you first of all find a reputable driving school and to do this it is wise to look at online reviews on the school you are planning to join, on the initial conversation with the school you intend to join you will know if you are being offered a trainee and fully qualified instructor.

Question for you

Are you already taking driving lessons? 

If you are already with a driving instructor do you know if they are a "fully qualified driving instructor" or "a trainee driving instructor (PDI)"?

With us you will already know and believe me you will not be disappointed, as the (PDI) trainee driving instructor will have all the same knowledge as a ADI.

A Trainee Driving Instructor and their training

A trainee driving instructor needs to complete and pass three tests and these tests are set by the DVSA (driving and vehicle standards agency) before becoming a qualified driving instructor.

Your (PDI) trainee driving instructor has had so far over of had 30/40 hours studying for example:-

• The official DVSA guide to learning to drive
• The official DVSA guide to driving- The essential skills book
• The driving instructors handbook 22nd edition
• The official highway code 2022

On top of that had 40 to 60 hours training so far with their trainer and are just on their final hurdle on passing their final test and becoming a fully qualified driving instructor.

To see the journey on becoming a driving instructor click the link below.

Driving instructor training

A (PDI) trainee driving instructor has already completed two of the three driving instructor's tests and then has to completed a minimum of 40+ hours driving instructor training and only then can apply for a trainee driving instructor licence (pink licence) through the DVSA.  This licence allows them teach learner driver's legally by law.

Why legally?

Is it illegal to accept any payment, including money for fuel, when you’re supervising someone who’s learning to drive. So if your current instructor is not displaying a badge in their training vehicle, by law you should not be paying them for the driving lesson.

Click on the link below to learn more

Trainee pink licence

A pink trainee licence is the only way a (PDI) trainee driving instructor can get experience teaching real learners to drive.  To apply for a pink trainee licence is through the DVSA (driving and vehicle standards agency).  This pink licence only lasts only for 6 months and in this time the trainee driving instructor will gain the experience on teaching students to drive and get you through your driving tests.

Driving Instructor tests changed in 2017

As mentioned earlier a (PDI) trainee driving instructors has to pass three tests as part of their journey on becoming a fully qualified driving instructor.  These tests are booked and run by the DVSA (driving and vehicle standards agency). All (PDI) trainee instructor's need to pass all three test's within a 2 year period from passing their part one (theory/hazard perception) test.  The part one test can be taken as many times as it's needed to pass.  The (PDI) trainee driving instructor only has 3 attempts to pass the part two and part three tests.  So if the (PDI) trainee driving instructor was unsuccessful on passing the part three test's three times they would have to wait until 2 years from passing the part one test before they can restart the hole procedure again.

Experience teaching real learner drivers

The best way a (PDI) trainee driving instructor can become a fully qualified driving instructor with the recent DVSA changes in 2017 is to gain experience on teaching real learner drivers and getting them through their driving tests. The only way this is possible is for a trainee driving instructor to be sponsored by a driving instructor or driving school. So because of these changes in the part three test's in 2017 our training  had to be alter when training for trainee driving instructor's to be successful.

There as another option - If the training instructor did not want to go down the route of becoming a trainee driving instructor is when they pass the part two test they could train a partly trained student or a full licence holder (the correct insurance needs to be in place to do this). Then take them on a part three test and cover a topic to improve the driver ability, but since the changes in 2017 it is becoming harder to pass the part three test so this is not as successful way forward.

The part three test before 2017

Previously on becoming a fully qualified driving instructors the (PDI) trainee driving instructor had to deliver a driving lesson that was pre-set by the DVSA,  this means that a (PDI) trainee driving instructor who had already passed their part one and two test could go to the driving test centre and deliver a lesson on one of 10 pre-set tests and the senior examiner would play the role of a learner driver on a driving lesson, so the trainee driving instructors did not need to have any practical experience delivering a driving lessons and did not need to take a learner driver with them.

Instructional ability's

Now a trainee’s instructional ability will be assessed on the part three test by the senior examiner who sit's in the back of the training vehicle and the (PDI) trainee driving instructor conducts a driving lesson with one of their a learner driver that they are currently teaching and cover a driving lesson necessary to their development while covering all the core competences set out for the part three test.  So YES the trainee driving instructor has to give a driving lesson to a real learner on unpredictable road where there is so much that can go wrong.

Training so far that the trainee has had completed before applying for a pink trainee licence

Before applying for a trainee driving instructor's licence the trainee driving instructor (PDI) will of already have had covered and passed:-

• 30/40+ hours of theory and hazard perception training and passed a driving instructor theory test/hazard perception test
• 15/25+ driving lessons with a trainer and passed a advanced driving test
• A minimum of 40 hours driving instructor training with a trainer

All trainee's will be knowledgeable with all up to date changes in the driving instructor test and the highway code, so the trainee will probably be more knowledgeable than a fully qualified driving instructor that does not attend any CPD training or self development studying.

Sponsoring a trainee

The only way to apply for a pink trainee licence is through sponsorship through a established driving school or by an independent driving instructor.  Then the trainee driving instructor (PDI) can then teach under the school/instructors name to gain valuable experience.  With the new changes from the DVSA we believe this will ensure higher standards of driving instructors, better driving tuition to all learner drivers and this will mean better qualified driver's on the road, which will means new driver's will keep roads safer.

Safeguarding students

We've been asked "do we think a trainee driving instructor is safe to teach learner driver's on the road with no experience"....  Our reply is on the old part 3 test the a senior examiner plays the role of the student and then if the trainee passes, the trainee is now a fully qualified driving instructor and now can teach learners to drive with no experience and in some cases no training.  This new ADI can now teach with :-

• No realistic experience on teaching learners
• Have no previous experience on risk management
• No understanding of altering lessons from instructor-lead-lesson to client-centred- lesson
• No guidance on safeguarding a client

As long as the trainee knew the 10 pre-set tests you have a greater chance of passing and become a fully qualified driving instructor and this could be done with NO training from a trainer. So this type of training is NOT the best way of producing great instructor's and making the UK road safer roads.

Compulsory training

At 1st Choice driving a trainee driving instructor will only be allowed to apply for a pink licence and teach after a minimum of 40 hours in car training (NO ZOOM TRAINING only 100% in-car training with a 1st Choice trainer). The trainee driving instructor will also have two option of  extra compulsory training in the 6 months of teaching with a pink licence:-

1. 20 hours extra hours training from their sponsored instructor
2. The trainer sits in 10% of the trainee driving instructors driving lessons

This is then signed off as given to the DVSA senior examiner on the part three test.

After 6 months of teaching learners, the trainee driving instructor will take and pass their final exam. If they don’t, their pink licence will expire and they won’t be allowed to continue teaching learner students.  So in other words if the trainee driving instructor fails their final test three times, their pink (PDI) badge will be taken of them by the DVSA.

Trainee's from a different sponsor

Please note: If a trainee driving instructor comes from a different sponsor/school and they are not up to scratch on instructional technique's they will only be allowed to teach unsupervised once our trainer is satisfied with the standard of their teaching ability.

Booking a driving lesson with us

When you book driving lessons with one of our (PDI'S) trainee driving instructor we will offer you a £5 discount on the current hourly rate. We do this as we appreciate our trainee is in training but ultimately what matters most is that you take lessons with a knowledgeable driving instructor and allow us to get through your driving test, so please enquire today to get booked in