The UK may be on the road to a driving instructor shortage
Driving lessons have started again throughout the UK, although some parts were quicker to relaunch lessons and tests than others. Although instructors and their students are back in action, the second half of 2020 could see a driving instructor shortage, adding a further difficulty for learner drivers. There are a few reasons why there might not be enough driving instructors to go around, including more people wanting to learn, a decline in driving instructors, and the recent lockdown. More people have or are turning 17 this year and in the following few years, increasing the demand for driving lessons across the country.
Fewer driving instructors
Research from the insurance provider Marmalade shows that booking driving lessons in the next few months could be difficult. One factor of this is that there has been a decline in registered driving instructors. Approved driving instructors might include those who are employees or self-employed or those who run a business or driving instructor franchise. Data from the Department of Transport shows a decline in numbers from 44,569 in 2013 to 39,521 at the start of 2020 – a 12% decline over seven years. This is predicted to fall further over the next few years, making the issue worse.
It’s predicted that driving instructor numbers could fall to around 38,000 by 2025. So it could be a good time for anyone considering it as a career to start training.
Photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexels
More people wanting to learn
Another factor impacting the situation is the number of people wanting to take lessons. A spike in birth rates in 2013 has meant that there are now more 17 years olds than in previous years. About 695,000 people have their 17th birthday this year, 27,000 more than in 2019. Even more people will be turning 17 each year in the coming years, further increasing demand for driving lessons and instructors. While not everyone learns to drive as soon as they turn 17 and can get their provisional license, a large number of teenagers choose to do so.
With potential learner numbers on the rise and registered driving instructors likely to decline, the number of learners per instructor could increase too. According to Marmalade’s data, the number of potential learners per instructor could rise from 16.45 in 2013 to 20.84 in 2025. Assuming each learner has at least one lesson per week, instructors are going to have to find time to fit in an extra four lessons per week when looking at the 2019 number of 16.84 instructors per approved driving instructor.
Complications from lockdown
Finally, the recent lockdown has made the situation slightly worse this year. People have been unable to continue their driving lessons and take tests for several months. This means there will surely be an increase in people needing lessons and tests, having delayed them from earlier in the year. But the issue is set to continue into next year and beyond, although it might not be as bad.
A shortage of driving instructors could be good for existing instructors, but it means learners might have a harder time finding an instructor to meet their needs.
