The following terms and conditions represent the basis upon which I offer driving lessons and courses to you (the student).
General Conduct
I will be courteous, polite, tidy, and punctual. I will behave in a professional and ethical manner at all times. My training car will be well maintained, clean, and tidy (weather permitting). My car is fitted with dual controls and is fully insured for driving tuition purposes. I will not smoke in the training car at any time, nor will I use your lesson time for any other form of business, personal or otherwise, without your expressed permission.
Qualifications
I am legally authorised to give driving tuition in the UK by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).
Driving Licence and Eye Sight
As required by law, you must hold a current, valid driving licence (provisional or full), which must be produced on or in advance of your first driving lesson. You must also check that you can read a number plate at a distance of 20.5 metres (i.e., 67 feet - about 5 car lengths) with prescribed visual aids (i.e., contact lenses or glasses) if normally worn. Please note that if you need contact lenses or glasses to achieve this, you must make sure you wear them on each and every driving lesson.
Safety, Comfort, and Well Being
Safety is a shared responsibility as identified below:
In the interests of comfort and safety, you are advised to wear suitable footwear and clothing.
It is important that you act responsibly at all times and give your undivided attention to the driving task at hand. Should anything be distracting you during your lesson, it is important you make me aware of this fact even if it is something I am doing. Similarly, if you are feeling uncomfortable or uneasy about any driving task, please let me know.
In an emergency situation, it is important you follow my instructions and allow me to take control of the steering wheel if necessary to avoid an incident. I may also need to make use of the dual controls (i.e., brake and / or clutch pedals) and thus override your use of them. As soon as it is safe to do so, I will advise you of why my actions were necessary and help you to calm down if required. Any subsequent discussion will focus on what can be learnt rather than who was to blame.
I will do my best to deliver any instructions or take any actions (even in an emergency) in a calm and measured manner so as not to alarm you or make you feel uncomfortable or disheartened in any way. I will definitely not shout at you or make any derogatory remarks.
You can be assured that I will not use improper language or suggestive behaviour and/or physical contact.
To ensure both your and my safety, if fitted a dashcam recording device will be used to record sound inside the car and video outside the car. At no point will this video be used without your expressed permission with the exception of insurance requirements.
You must take note of any medication you are taking, which may affect your ability to drive safely and advise me accordingly before taking any lesson booked. Similarly, you should inform me of anything you feel might impact your ability to undertake the proposed lesson safely.
In the event it becomes apparent you are unable to concentrate due to illness, tiredness, or your emotional state of mind I reserve the right to terminate the lesson early or require your agreement to choose an alternative learning activity which can still be undertaken safely.
Driving under the influence
To ensure the safety of you and other road users I reserve the right to cancel any lesson if you are or if I suspect you are under the influence of drugs, legal highs and/or alcohol (prescribed or otherwise). If this occurs, the full training fee for the period in question will be lost or charged.
Lesson postponement
You may lose, or be required to pay for, any lessons booked in my diary which are postponed or cancelled by you, especially if I am unable to obtain new replacement work for those appointment time(s). However, I reserve the right to postpone lessons if I consider the weather or road conditions to be unsuitable or dangerous. Unfortunately, I can not be held responsible for any costs incurred as a result of me having to postpone any lessons, for whatever reason.
Punctuality
In your own interests, you are advised to be punctual for your lesson appointments. All such appointments are put into the Total Drive calendar, and you should receive notifications to confirm and remind you of your lesson appointments. I would normally wait for you for a maximum of 15 minutes before the lesson would be abandoned and the lesson fee forfeited or become due for payment. A reciprocal waiting time may become necessary if I am delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. I will make up any lesson time lost as a result of this at the end of the normal lesson time or as soon as possible.
The Driving Test
Driving tests can be booked by you or me, Driving test bookings always take priority over other lessons. Therefore, your lesson may be postponed to allow for someone elses driving test and vice-versa. Changes to lesson bookings as a result of this will be notified immediately. Test appointments must be notified to me as soon as they are known to you. Otherwise, I can not guarantee to provide a vehicle for the test or any lessons just prior to it.
In the interests of customer and public safety I reserve the right to withhold the use of the training car for the test if, in my opinion, your driving is actually or potentially dangerous - behaviour which if repeated on the test would result in a test failure.
Three clear working days (Sundays and public holidays do not count as working days) notice of test cancellation or postponement is required by the DVSA. Therefore, to cancel a test booked for a Friday, you need to do this online no later than the preceding Monday, thus giving three clear working days (i.e., Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). Failure to provide the required notice will result in the loss of your test fee. I can not be held responsible for any postponement or cancellation of tests by you or the DVSA. However, I will help to arrange another test as quickly as possible and to reclaim expenses from the DVSA if appropriate.
Your statutory rights
Nothing in these terms and conditions will reduce your statutory rights relating to faulty goods or services provided. I have a statutory obligation to provide you with goods and services fit for the purpose for which they were bought and as described. If you have any doubts about your statutory rights, please contact your local Trading Standards Department or Citizens Advice Bureau.
Drive Easy Northants