The latest Green Room edition of The Instructor Podcast is one you don’t want to miss. Terry Cook and Chris Bensted dive into some of the biggest talking points currently buzzing around the driving instructor world – and trust me, there’s a lot to chew over in this episode.

On the latest edition of our Mini-Casts, we’re diving into the wild world of driving school marketing!

Andy McFarlane joins Terry Cook to discuss the critical importance of mastering the basics of driving instruction before advancing to more complex skills.

That's it. The Road Safety season is officially wrapped up. Over the last 3 months, we've discussed everything from GDE to GDL.There are over 11 hours of audio content giving you ideas on how to better incorporate road safety into your lessons and driving school. Today's episode saw Bright Coachings, Stewart Lochrie join me to reflect on the season, look at some key takeaways, and dive into what ADIs can do next.There has been some amazing resources unearthed this season. Some tools that you can use in your driving schools, many of which are free. I've created a brand new webpage with links to them all. Check out those resources here. More will be added, so keep coming back to check it out.The feedback and interaction I have received this season has been amazing. You guys have been both positive and constructive, and it's very much appreciated. So thank you for listening, reading, and engaging. Now it's up to you to use the information and resources as you see fit. Let's keep raising standards. 

Graduated Driving Licences. GDLs are almost as controversial as 'minors vs driver faults' or checking your mirrors in pairs. There are so many arguments against GDLs (please forgive the acronym, it's a lot to type!), most of which stem from not knowing all the details. Example: "But who will enforce them?"Who enforces 30mph speed limits?Who enforces not stealing our meal deal from Tesco between lessons?Who enforces not punching Terry in the face for starting three sentences with the word 'who'?Most laws or rules are enforced by the individuals.  Think about all the laws you stick to without being forced. The same would apply to GDLs.Would everyone comply?Of course not. Not everyone adheres to every current law. But most of us do. And when we don't, we risk being caught by the police. Plus GDLs would often be policed by parents, partly because they would be forced to recognise some of the dangers. But, enforcement is just one of the concerns I put to Brake's campaign manager, Lucy Straker. The other's included; fairness, reduced experience and reduced job opportunities. We also looked into exactly what a GDL is, what measures could be applied, and the difficulties of getting it into a parliamentary debate. This episode will hopefully give you everything you need to know about GDLs and what ADIs can do right now to help fill in the gaps. And you can sign the petition for GDLs right here. Find out more about Brake

He was furious I'd stopped himThat was the response of John, who James Luckhurst had stopped for doing 40 in a 30mph zone. Kate had a different response. She wasn't really that bothered. If anything Kate and her passengers found it amusing. Kate had passed her driving test just a few weeks earlier. Two very different responses for the same offence. As driving instructors, how much responsibility do we take for this?While we can't control what people do when they're outside of our car, we can certainly have influence, We sit in a one-to-one situation with them for (often) over forty hours so to pretend we can't exert any influence is disingenuous,  One in five drivers crash within a year of passing their test and, I'll be completely honest here, I often worry about receiving that phone call. Perhaps it's time we dropped the attitude that we can't control what learners do on a test or once they've passed, and started asking the question; what can we do to help them not become a statistic? That's partly what this season of The Instructor Podcast is based around.James Luckhurst, today's guest, has a similar goal with Project EDWARD and its accompanying podcast.

The youth like to make their voices heard right?So why don't they have that same vocalised response for bad driving?It's something I've been pondering since recording with Olly Tayler of The Honest Truth. I joked about starting a 'How bad is your dad?' campaign.However the more I consider it, the more seriously I'm thinking about it!The episode with Olly Tayler is out today and it's not what you'd expect. Olly explains why ADIs are the most under-utilised resource within the road safety sector and I push him for an answer to the question; "Why is there a gap between ADIs and the road safety sector?"His answer doesn't disappoint. 

"If we'd had this law in the UK, Caitlin and her friend wouldn't have been killed"That was the message from Sharron Huddleston who lost her daughter, Caitlin, in a road traffic collision in 2017.Sharron is now a passionate campaigner for Graduated Driving Licences (GDLs), much like the ones in other countries, and keen to get the message out there and clear up some misconceptions including:

Mobile phone use impacts our cognitive functions for 5 minutes AFTER we've finished using it.And you're four times more likely to crash when using a mobile/hands-free phone.That's just one of the startling facts offered by Prof. Gemma Briggs. Gemma was also keen to stress that using you mobile hands-free is just as dangerous as using your actual mobile. And if you're reading that thinking 'That doesn't apply to me' you probably have self-enhancement bias. And if you're confused or angry at that comment, you really should check out the episode as we cover it in detail.

I used to think that ADIs should be attending as many road safety conferences as possible. I've changed my mind. While road safety events are an excellent opportunity to get valuable insights and meet interesting people, we have to be realistic. I'm a working ADI. As well as running The Instructor Podcast and all its incarnations, I also still deliver 20+ hours of driving lessons a week. So when I was looking into what road safety events I could attend, it dawned on me that with the finances involved with tickets, travel, accommodation, and time off, I could maybe afford two a year. And there are 4 or 5 different driving instructor-specific events a year. Which am I going to prioritise?Exactly.So should ADIs be attending road safety events?Where possible, yes. There's some amazing people in that sector, and if you can, I'd really encourage you to get involved.But if you need to prioritise the instructor-specific stuff, I get it.And I've got you covered. Today sees the release of the first episode of Season 7, and the theme is all around road safety and how we can bridge the gap between the driving instructor profession and the road safety sector. 

The RAC Foundation's Head of Research, Liz Box joins me to discuss how coaching and the GDE Matrix is key to road safety and an important tool for driving instructors. 

In the second podcast of season 6, Terry interviews Richard Storrs about a recent Expo event and upcoming events in the driving instructor industry. The event, held at Newark showground in Nottinghamshire, achieved record attendance numbers of 961, marking a 23% increase from the previous year. The success of the event can be attributed to its new location, good weather, and the inclusion of various activities, including HGV reversing challenges and electric vehicle displays.

In the world of driving instruction, staying up-to-date with the latest teaching methods and maintaining a high level of proficiency is crucial. One organization leading the way in this endeavor is Bright Coaching, which recently featured on a podcast dedicated to driving instructors. During their appearance, they delved into the significance of coaching and their PDA Level 7 qualification.

I asked Chat GPT (an artificial intelligence platform) to create the top 10 tips for driving instructors to pass their standards check, and this is what it produced:

In today's fast-paced and hustle-driven society, sleep has unfortunately become undervalued, with many perceiving it as a luxury rather than a biological necessity. This misguided perception is particularly prevalent among business owners, who often glorify the "sleep when you're dead" mentality. In this episode of The Instructor Podcast, host Terry Cook engages in a thought-provoking conversation with sleep expert Hayley Field. They explore the significance of proper sleep in goal setting and discuss its critical role in enhancing learning, cognitive function, and overall well-being. This blog post delves into the episode's highlights, emphasizing the importance of setting sleep goals and addressing common misconceptions.

Terry: We're now joined by the man behind Theory Test Explained, Chris Benstead. How are we doing, Chris?

Terry: We're now joined by… let me get this right, stunt driver, precision driver, motorsport social media mogul, motorsport photographer, globe trotter, driving instructor, and now Ford Cup championship racer Sarah Hall. How are we doing, Sarah?

Terry: So welcome to the instructor Podcast Green Room Edition. This is the podcast where we look at all the latest news in the industry and look at some industry related topics. And we do have some news, not massive, but there's a little bit to dig into and we're also going to be digging into the topic of CPD, what it is, should we be doing it, and all that kind of malarkey.

Terry: So, welcome to the Instructor podcast, Green Room edition. This is the show where we talk about Adi and PDI specific topics and look at the latest news going on within our industry. As always, I am your splendid horse, Terry Cook. And thankfully for you guys, at least it isn't just me. We're joined by someone of equal to greater stature in Chris Spencer. How are we doing Chris. all is good?

Intro: Welcome to the Instructor Podcast, where we speak to leaders, experts, innovators and game changers, looking at ways that we can help you improve your driving school business and potentially even become an even more awesome driving instructor.