To begin with I hope you and your family are safe and well and we really do appreciate your patience and understanding over the last 3-months. The sad thing is that it is it is not over yet and things are changing constantly, not only daily, but hourly. This system will be updated as and when required to follow government/DVSA guidelines.

Due to the Coronavirus and the new standards set out by the DVSA, I have had to make a few changes to my Terms & Conditions. (view terms)

All companies are now required to put in measures to ensure that the health and safety of their customers are paramount. Please read the sections below that provides details of the way I am required to operate to continue delivering driving lessons.

Due to the procedures I am required to put in place, the additional cost of PPE and reducing the number of pupils I teach per day, I may need to review the lesson price in August. (view my current prices)

Thank you for your understanding and if you have any questions please call me on 07986 638029

What is coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause disease in animals and can be transmitted to humans. They can range from the common cold to acute respiratory forms
Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus that affects your lungs and airways
The current epidemic is caused by this speciﬁc coronavirus, COVID-19 that emerged in China in December 2019
COVID-19 is closely related to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) which swept around the world in 2002 to 2003. That virus infected around 8,000 people and killed about 800 but it soon ran itself out, largely because most of those infected were seriously ill so it was easier to control
Another coronavirus is MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, cases of which have been occurring sporadically since it ﬁrst emerged in 2012.There have been around 2,500 cases and nearly 900 deaths
COVID-19 is different to the previously mentioned coronaviruses in that the spectrum of disease is broad, with around 80% of cases leading to a mild infection. There may also be many people carrying the disease and displaying no symptoms, making it even harder to control
To date we have seen over 10 million cases of COVID-19 infection worldwide, over 500,000 deaths but over 4.5 million people have recovered
So far, around 20% of COVID-19 cases have been classed as ‘severe’ and the current death rate varies between 0.7% and 3.4% depending on the location and, crucially, access to good hospital care
The new coronavirus can be spread from person to person. It is diagnosed with a laboratory test
There is no coronavirus vaccine yet, though several trials are underway worldwide

What are the signs and symptoms and how does it spread?

COVID-19 symptoms include:

Cough: a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
High temperature: this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back, or you have measured your temperature and recorded a high result (typically above 38°C is considered a fever)
Unexplained loss of taste or smell: a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
Shortness of breath
Muscle aches
Sore throat
Diarrhoea
Headache

How does it spread?

Coronavirus is primarily spread by small droplets that are expelled from the nose and mouth when someone that is infected coughs, sneezes or speaks
This can then be breathed in by others or picked up from surfaces and transferred from your hand to your eyes, nose or mouth if you touch them
COVID-19 doesn’t transmit through skin contact on your hand, but rather when bacteria enters your system through mucous membranes on your body or via respiratory droplets in close proximity
Research suggests that you can be infectious up to a week before any symptoms show. Although showing these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have contracted the virus, you should follow the guidance and self-isolate as soon as you show symptoms. It is also a good idea to let others you may have been in contact with know, as they may also need to self-isolate

What is being done to ensure the Health and Safety of students

To ensure I protect all students, my car and equipment will receive a deep clean before I return to training.

Before/after each lesson/test the car will be cleaned, including:

Door handles (inside and out) – grab handles – window controls – door mirror controls
Seats and seat adjustment controls – seatbelt – buckle and clasp
Steering wheel – steering wheel adjuster – indicator and wiper stalks – horn
Gear lever – hand/parking brake and the interior mirror
Bonnet catch (internal and external)
Other controls such as Sat Nav – ventilation – window demister
Car keys
The car will be cleaned outside the students collection point, please keep 2-metres away until you are called over
Students will be asked a number of questions before they enter the vehicle and this will likely include their temperature being taken by a non-contact body thermometer
If for any reason the student is showing any signs of the Coronavirus the lesson will be terminated either at the start or during the lesson.
I will be reducing the number of driving lessons I deliver each day to ensure the safety of students.

Student responsibility before each lesson

You will be required to stand two metres away and confirm the following questions about your health:

Symptoms of Covid-19 – have you had it, been tested for it, and had results of the test?
Shielding – are you in a household of family members that are in the enhanced risk health categories?
Any health issues which may impact your ability to drive?
Do you have a continuous cough?
Do you have a fever or high temperature? Your temperature will be checked with a non-contact thermometer before you enter the car.
You will be required to wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20-seconds before leaving the house and entering the car and you should wash your hands after your lesson
You can wear gloves, (but these should be put on just before you enter the vehicle and the instructor must see you put them on). However general advice is that good hand hygiene is better than gloves, which provide a false sense of security
You must wear a face covering at this stage, but this will reviewed in line with any new guidance
You will need to sanitise your hands again when entering the vehicle (you can use your own or I will supply)
All items, such as mobile phones and house keys will have to stay on you and not left on the dashboard or put into door pockets.
Any bags you bring, for onward journey must go in the boot
Driving lessons can normally only be delivered in the driving school car (this may be the same for driving tests, but the DVSA has not confirmed this)

Cancellations

If you or anyone you are living with have any Symptoms you MUST cancel your driving lesson before your lesson start time. Once cancelled you will not be able to restart your lessons until you have been tested negative, or follow the Government isolation recommendations (this is the same for the instructor).

COVID-19 student information 1

Guidance for Theory Tests

Theory tests will restart in England on Saturday 4 July 2020 with new social distancing and safety precautions in place.

Keeping you safe at the test centre

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has introduced social distancing measures and safety precautions at test centres.

These include:

using floor markings to keep people 2 metres apart
spacing workstations and chairs so you’re 2 metres away from other people
extra cleaning of the test centres
using protective transparent screens at the reception desk
providing hand sanitiser for you to use when you arrive at the test centre, during your test and when you leave
cleaning workstations, including computers and headphones, before every test

Staff will wear a face covering (unless there’s a medical reason that it’s not recommended for them) and gloves.

You have to come into the test centre alone. This is to help with social distancing.

Wearing a face covering

Wear a face covering when you come for your test if you can.

You will need to remove it briefly so the test centre staff can check your ID.

Do not use a face covering if you may find it difficult to manage, for example, you have a respiratory condition.

Find out how to wear and make a cloth face covering.

When you must not come for your test

You must not come for your theory test if:

you or someone you live with has coronavirus symptoms
you’ve been told by the NHS Test and Trace service that you’ve been in contact with a person who has coronavirus
you have entered or returned to the UK in the last 14 days, except in very limited situations

You have to stay at home (self-isolate).

Change your theory test appointment if you need to self-isolate on the day of your theory test.

You can do this free of charge if you’re self-isolating, including if you do it at short notice (within 3 clear working days of the test).

If you’re classed as clinically extremely vulnerable from coronavirus

If you’re clinically extremely vulnerable, you should have received a letter telling you that you’re in this group or have been told by your GP.

DVSA recommends that you change your theory test appointment to after 1 August 2020, when shielding will be paused.

Apply for an emergency theory test if you’re a critical worker

You can apply for an emergency test if you urgently need a test because you’re classed as a critical worker.

Changes to the theory test planned for 14 April 2020

The changes to the theory test that were planned to be introduced on 14 April 2020 have not gone ahead. This is because of the coronavirus outbreak.

DVSA will make these changes to the theory test as soon as possible. In the meantime, the theory test will continue to work in the same way as it did before April.

Guidance for taking a practical test

Car driving tests will restart in England on Wednesday 22 July 2020 with new social distancing and safety precautions in place. These will only be for people who had their driving test cancelled because of coronavirus to begin with.

Arrange your driving test appointment

If your car driving test was cancelled due to coronavirus, you were sent an email with a new date and time for your test.

The new date you were given will not go ahead. This includes if the new date you were given was from 22 July. Do not go for your test on that date.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will email you again soon to ask you to go online and choose your preferred date and time for your test.

When you arrange your test, you’ll need to say if there’s a good reason you cannot wear a face covering when you take your test.

Graphic of a phone with a caption that says 'You’ll get an email to ask you to choose a date for your new test'

Booking a new driving test

You cannot currently book a new driving test if you did not have a test booked before lockdown.

Driving tests will be carried out for people who had their test cancelled because of coronavirus as a priority.

Check back or sign up for email alerts to find out when you can book a new driving test.

When you come for your driving test

Do not arrive for your driving test more than 5 minutes before your appointment time.

The driving test centre waiting room and toilets will be closed to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. However, you’ll be able to use the toilet if you have a disability or medical condition, or you’re pregnant.

Graphic of a clock with a caption that says 'Do not arrive more than 5 minutes before your appointment time'

Keeping you safe when you take your test

DVSA has introduced social distancing measures and safety precautions.

These include:

driving examiners wearing face coverings - they might also choose to wear gloves and use disposable seat covers
limiting the number of people arriving for a driving test at the same time
not allowing your driving instructor or supervising driver to sit in the back during your test

Wearing a face covering

You must bring and wear a face covering when you come for your test, unless you have a good reason not to. This includes if:

you have a physical or mental illness or impairment, or a disability that means you cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering
putting on, wearing or removing a face covering would cause you severe distress
you need to remove it during your test to avoid harm or injury or the risk of harm or injury to yourself or others

You need to say if you have a good reason not to wear a face covering when you arrange your test.

Your test will be cancelled if you come for your test without a face covering and you did not declare you could not wear one when you arranged your test.

You will need to remove your face covering briefly so your driving examiner can check your ID.

Find out how to wear and make a cloth face covering.

Graphic of a face covering with a caption that says 'Bring and wear a face covering unless you have a good reason not to'

During your driving test

If you have a problem with your face covering during the test, your driving examiner will ask you to stop so you can adjust it. Your driving examiner will end the test early if it becomes a safety issue.

If you make a mistake

You can carry on if you make a mistake during your driving test.

If you make a serious or dangerous fault, which means you’ve failed, your driving examiner will direct you back to the driving test centre, where the test will end. This is to minimise the amount of time you need to spend in the vehicle.

Find out more about how the car driving test works.

At the end of your test

Your driving examiner will:

ask you to get out of your vehicle before they give you your test result feedback
ask if you want your instructor to come over to listen to the feedback if it’s safe to do so

This is to minimise the amount of time you need to spend in the vehicle.

When you must not come for your test

You must not come for your driving test if:

you or someone you live with has coronavirus symptoms
you’ve been told by the NHS Test and Trace service that you’ve been in contact with a person who has coronavirus
you have entered or returned to the UK in the last 14 days, except in very limited situations

You have to stay at home (self-isolate).

Change your driving test appointment if you need to self-isolate on the day of your driving test.

You can do this free of charge if you’re self-isolating, including if you do it at short notice (within 3 clear working days of the test).