Driving Instructors sitting on Tests

Once upon a time, it used to be a very common request for driving instructors to want to sit in on their candidates driving test, as it was the only way for new ADIs to learn the routes used by the DSA examiner, and therefore know of any potentially difficult areas that need to be dealt with.

The DSA has now posted all driving test routes on the internet, so this is no longer a valid reason for why an ADI or PDI should want to accompany a learner driver on their test, but there are still a few reasons for an instructor to sit in on a driving test.

1. On request by learner driver. I have as an instructor been asked on many ocassions by my clients to accompany them during the driving test because they feel more comfortable with me in the car, and it eases their driving test nerves caused by a stranger sitting next to them. Other candidates have asked me to sit in on their test just so they can get feedback from me in case they fail and know the areas that they didn't do particularly well on.

2. Getting to know the individual driving examiners and their attitude. As an approved instructor, you will only get to know your local dsa examiner if you interact with them and sit in on some of the tests that they conduct. Every examiner will have their own personality, despite them being professional. You will know the ones that follow the book to the dot, those that are more lenient, the friendly ones and those that are curt and abrupt, this will help you to prepare your candidates better, and warn them of those that could easily make your candidates uncomfortable by their behaviour. This is particularly important for trainee instructors (PDIs), newly qualified full instructors (ADIs) or those new to the test centre and its routes.

3. Another reason some learner drivers want thier driving instructor sitting in on the test, is that they believe the test will be conducted more fairly. There is no evidence to support this belief, but test candidates think that because an ADI knows what is expected, the examiner will have to operate fully under the test guidelines.

There are a few things that a learner driver needs to know about instructors sitting in on their tests.
It is your right to have or refuse them being in the car with you. A driving school can not insist that an ADI most accompany you.
There is no evidence to support the fact that having an instructor in the car affects the conduct of the examiner or the result of a test. I've been in a few tests where I though a candidate had failed due to a driving error, only for it to be marked as non serious. So far I've never disagreed with a failure verdit while sitting on a test with a client.

You don't need to have an instructor in the car, a friend or family member or interpreter (NON ADI) can always sit in the car with you, and I've never heard of a request being turned down by a DSA examiner.