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Original poster

Mini accident in driving instructors car

168 replies

lharris1 · 23/07/2019 14:29

I’m a learner driver and accidentally hit the curb, puncturing one tyre. No other damage to instructors car
However when my driving instructor called their insurance, they were unable to send someone out to change tyre due to their MOT being expired (god I feel terrible my instructor must hate me for getting them in this mess)

I had to take a taxi home, and my instructor has let me know it will cost £50 to replace their tyre. Obviously I know I need to pay but is it just me that thinks £50 seems quite a lot? That being said I have no idea how much this kind of thing would cost, and I’m on a very low income

I feel so ashamed for doing it, part of me wants to change instructors after paying due to the guilt

OP posts:

DobbinsVeil · 24/07/2019 11:40

Phil's post It wasn't really attacking you specifically but was more quite a, err, unique take on the exploitation of driving instructors at the hands of greedy learners . It contained a lot of CAPITALS and some not great mental health comments.

BrokenWing · 24/07/2019 12:19

@TriixRose you did not say she was obliged to pay but did clearly say you would ask a pupil to pay for damage that as an instructor you are legally and morally liable to avoid and in the event pay for/have cover for.

This gives the OP the false impression from a professional driving instructor she is somewhat liable when she isn't.

IWannaSeeHowItEnds · 24/07/2019 12:27

Not read the whole thread yet but possibly it was her green flag membership which had expired, rather than her mot.
I would not pay for the tyre - as everyone else says, this is why lessons cost do much, to cover these expenses.
I would also contact the driving school about getting your £50 for the taxi back. They had a responsibility to you which, as a school, they failed to deliver. It should not cost you money to get home after a lesson!

RedTideBlues · 24/07/2019 13:30

If the MOT was out of date then I would think that this invalidates the car insurance and also shows a lack of professionalism by your instructor. £50 is a very cheap tyre and I would like to know were he buys them but he is just trying it on.

EBearhug · 24/07/2019 13:37

I have Green Flag cover through my car insurance, but if I do anything to invalidate my insurance, it would also invalidate my GF cover - and driving without a valid MOT, unless to an MOT centre for an MOT test, is one situation which would invalidate it.

I would expect driving instructor's car insurance to be high, because of the vehicle being driven by inexperienced drivers who may not yet be if a standard to drive unaccompanied. I would expect it to cover damage.

I would absolutely expect a driving instructor to know when the MOT is due and get it renewed in time. It should happen for every driver anyway, but if you are a professional driver in any capacity, it's even more important.

(Last time I had a puncture, I couldn't get the wheel nuts undone to get the wheel off; knowing the theory of how to change a wheel doesn't always make it possible in practice.)

SuperPixie247 · 24/07/2019 13:51

@lharris1 Have you actually handed over any money yet?

It sounds to me like she is pulling a fast one! I would definitely contact her parent company and explain the situation.

LillithsFamiliar · 24/07/2019 14:01

It's highly unlikely that the MOT had expired and much more likely their roadside assistance had expired.
As for paying for the tyre, you need to check the contract you signed at the beginning. Usually you wouldn't pay.
Please don't blame the burst tyre on the lack of MOT as a PP suggested. Tyres can and do burst if they hit the kerb awkwardly. It has nothing to do with the MOT.

OhMsBeliever · 24/07/2019 14:12

I hit the kerb and punctured my instructors car tyre. On the way to my first test. He'd only had the car a week. He then had trouble getting the wheel off to change it and had to call his mum to pick me up and take me home.

He never ever mentioned me paying for it. I never even thought about it (I was in floods of tears about what an idiot I'd been, poor him and his mum!)

I don't remember signing anything when I started lessons, but that was 20 years ago!

cazmac66 · 24/07/2019 19:36

I am a female driving instructor and would never ask my pupil to pay for a punctured tyre! The car should have been MOT'd and is illegal if it isn't! Can't believe he/she has asked you to pay for the repairs! Tyres do normally cost around £50 however, but that is a cost we incur not the pupil. I would have reported this to the DVSA as the car you were driving in wasn't safe to be taught in. Get a refund of your lesson money if you can and change instructor to be honest.

FlossieTeacakesFurCoat18 · 24/07/2019 20:23

OP you keep apologising for not being clear - I think your posts are perfectly clear and it makes me worry that you tend to blame yourself for everything!

This isn't your fault - you're a learner for goodness sake! Little mishaps are to be expected.

In the end it doesn't really matter whether it was the MOT of the road assistance cover that had expired (although either makes your driving instructor sound pretty unprofessional ). The point is, it's your instructor's job to sort out, not yours. Of course learners are going to hit the kerb sometimes! Any decent teacher would have insurance to cover these type of things.

Bottom line - don't pay. If they query this, the onus is on them to produce proof that you're liable, so as long as you didn't sign any dodgy contracts you'll be fine.

ChesterDrawsDoesntExist · 24/07/2019 22:07

I think the best course of action is to just call her driving school, advise them of what has happened and ask them to deal with it. You're their client and she is the driving instructor assigned to you.

Auchnarrow · 03/08/2019 11:47

I am a driving instructor. I have had several punctured tires, once two tires and a wheel rim from hitting a water filled pot hole. I have never charged my pupil for this or any other damage caused to my car, it's just a part of the overheads of running a driving school.
If the tuition vehicle was not MOTed then it was not insured. What would have happened if you had been injured in an accident. This guy is a menace and you should report him to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency ([email protected]) they register and control all driving instructors in the UK.
Certainly do not consider paying, and find yourself a different instructor.

hsegfiugseskufh · 03/08/2019 11:52

Do you know the reg?

You can check MOT status online.

I wouldn't pay either!

Sandybval · 03/08/2019 11:56

As others have said don't pay! Things like this should be accounted for in the overheads for a driving instructor. It's not your fault the insurance is inaccessible either.

ny20005 · 03/08/2019 12:03

@lharris1

What's the update ?

Lolyora17 · 05/08/2019 03:15

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

MeiChung · 30/11/2022 19:12

I accidentally damaged my driving instructor’s car during lesson, do I need to provide my personal details such as full address and DOB to my driving instructor when he file a insurance claim?

TicketToRideFan · 30/11/2022 19:24

Are you sure it wasn’t their Green Flag membership that has expired?

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