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Original poster

Had an accident in driving instructors car - he said I have to pay for it

590 replies

Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 14:48

A question for uk learner drivers

I had a driving lesson today and I had an accident, I took the wing mirror off when passing a parked car. Instructor said he’ll try to lower the price as much as possible but he’ll be in touch with how much I need to pay. Is this right? Do I need to pay? My previous driving instructor said if there was an accident then his insurance covers the damage

I feel like he’s trying to con me. This was the first lesson I ever had with the guy, I had about 50 lessons with my other instructor and he made sure I didn’t have any accidents by using the dual control. This guy today just tilted the steering wheel away from the parked car and it still hit it.

OP posts:
Changeitupnelly · 15/03/2023 18:18

It’s all franchises with driving schools. The instructor pays the school weekly to use their name and school provides them lead for pupils etc. Some also rent a car from the school all insured etc ready to go. So actually despite them being self employed, the school is also responsible for complaints etc. There are only a couple of schools in the country that I know of who actually EMPLOY their instructors but the umbrella company is still responsible even if instructors are self employed. I would complain to driving school first and foremost.

EezyOozy · 15/03/2023 18:19

He 100% must have insurance for this!

Clarefromwork · 15/03/2023 18:19

Maybe he doesn’t have insurance and that’s why he didn’t want you to stop and why he wants you to pay for the damage?

Although I’m sure the driving school must check that!

DinaofCloud9 · 15/03/2023 18:20

Don't give up on your lessons. We all make mistakes, you'll get there in the end.

Don't pay. The instructor should have insurance so he sounds dodgy.

Original poster
Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 18:22

starfishmummy · 15/03/2023 17:33

well even if that is the case, I don’t know what I’m responsible for and what I’m meant to do in a situation like that. there’s so many rules, it’s not like I’m going to be driving again so if points do get placed on my license so be it.

Driving is all about rules. To stop people.in heavy lumps of metal from bashing into each other (or into people). After the number of lessons you had then you should be familiar with most of them including what to do in an accident.

As you seem to thinknthey are an inconvenience then its probably as well that you do not want to continue learning.

HE told me to drive off, so I did. I don’t know why you’re acting as though I’m the one with the car insurance, the one with the details. I don’t have any details to give since his insurance should cover any damages!!!

I don’t know where the fk you got that from, but I don’t want to drive after this because it’s knocked my confidence, it’s made me anxious and I don’t trust myself.

OP posts:
SinnerBoy · 15/03/2023 18:23

*Yupbabs · Today 18:14

^I’m 20 years old, and i have not had much experience. I do not know what I’m doing and I didn’t know any better, he told me to keep driving so I did.
if you had read my early replies then you’d see that I’m far from lacking self awareness for fks sake. I said I wasn’t bothering with lessons again, which I won’t be.^

Don't take it like that! Everyone has little prangs from time to time. Find another school and go with someone from there; if you don't like them, ask for another instructor, you don't have to give a reason. They will have female instructors, if you feel more comfortable not having a man.

I've had a motorbike licence for over 30 years and a car licence for 15 and in the past few years, clipped a wing mirror on a narrow street and scraped the wing of another car, whilst parking. Both settled with no drama.

You're young, you haven't been in a car for ages and you've had a little bump, it's no biggie. The reason why insurance is so high for new drivers is that they expect you to have some bumps and scrapes, it's completely normal.

It's not as if you were doing 60 in a residential area and smashed into a row of cars.

Original poster
Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 18:27

niugboo · 15/03/2023 17:26

Have you passed your theory test?

it’s reasonable to assume after 50 lessons you would know the basics. And leaving the scene of an accident / not hitting cars is basic.

  1. if there’s no damage there’s nothing to pay.

  2. his insurance should cover damage.

  3. you HAVE to report the accident to the police as details weren’t exchanged at the scene. Ignorance of the law isn’t a defence.

He told me to keep driving so I did. If I was by myself I obviously would give my details but since I was driving HIS car, I have no details to give. I have no insurance

OP posts:
whynotwhatknot · 15/03/2023 18:31

no thats not right its his inusurance youre covered under-sounds like he just doesnt want to claim

if he tried to take you to small claim court hed have to admit to not stopping and leaving his details so thats not going to happen

Howdoyoulikeyourtea · 15/03/2023 18:32

Please don’t give up driving because of this bad instructor. Dd had 2 shocking instructors who between them left her anxious and with no confidence. She only continued to a third teacher because she needs to drive to her job. The last instructor was brilliant and taught her basic things neither of the others did, praised her rather than put her down and she passed easily and is now a good confident driver. Ask for recommendations from friends or on your local fb page.

Worriednow21 · 15/03/2023 18:34

Don't let the driving instructor knock your confidence. He sounds dodgy as hell asking you to drive on and expecting you to pay for the damage
You've emailed the company just wait and see what they come back with, they should confirm his insurance should cover the damage.

mackthepony · 15/03/2023 18:35

You don't pay

pompei8309 · 15/03/2023 18:39

Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 14:48

A question for uk learner drivers

I had a driving lesson today and I had an accident, I took the wing mirror off when passing a parked car. Instructor said he’ll try to lower the price as much as possible but he’ll be in touch with how much I need to pay. Is this right? Do I need to pay? My previous driving instructor said if there was an accident then his insurance covers the damage

I feel like he’s trying to con me. This was the first lesson I ever had with the guy, I had about 50 lessons with my other instructor and he made sure I didn’t have any accidents by using the dual control. This guy today just tilted the steering wheel away from the parked car and it still hit it.

If you had 50 prior lessons and on the 51st you took his mirror off , you shouldn’t be driving.

ShippingForecastMeditator · 15/03/2023 18:41

After 50 lessons you shouldn't be hitting wing mirrors

Oh come on. I passed my test in 1991 and knocked someone's mirror clean off the other week. I did stop to leave a note though...

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 18:43

Justforlaffs · 15/03/2023 17:55

You should have stopped the car to check for damage. You could be done for leaving the scene of an accident.

Absolute bollocks.

The driving instructor will be the one responsible, if anyone. But seeing as he told the op to drive off without leaving any info that’s clearly not going to happen is it?

The owner of the other car wouldn’t have a legal leg to stand on in going after the op (which they can’t as they are oblivious to who was driving) and would have to chase the driving instructor who’s insurance will cover the damage - that’s if this chancer even HAS the appropriate insurance.

OP is legally responsible as she's the driver. Regardless of what he told her to.

Woopzies · 15/03/2023 18:43

give me a fkn break
Is that what the wing mirror said? 😂

Dinoboymama · 15/03/2023 18:43

pompei8309 · 15/03/2023 18:39

If you had 50 prior lessons and on the 51st you took his mirror off , you shouldn’t be driving.

Show quote history

Then everyone who ever has a license and accidentally hits something should just hand theirs back.

Bumps happen. It was a new car to the op too.

The average amount of lessons nowadays needed to pass is 40 hours with an instructor and 20 extra. So the op is still within that and the pass rate is less than 50 percent first time.

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 18:44

OP you're arguing with posters but don't seem to be focussing on the facts. You have a legal responsibility to report this accident. Have you contacted the police yet?

ArDi · 15/03/2023 18:53

Sorry OP, you have discovered the hard way that Mumsnet hates people who prang cars.
Definitely find a new teacher. This one sounds rubbish. If I were you I would refuse to pay. What's he going to do - sue you? Then he'd have to explain to the Court why he told you to drive away from an accident.
Don't give up - driving is such a useful skill to have, and opens up all sorts of possibilities.

HangingOver · 15/03/2023 18:54

OP was 10 mins into her first lesson in over a year in a car she's not used to cut her some slack.

Redbone · 15/03/2023 18:54

He should be insured, definitely do not pay. Interested to note that you have had 50 lessons!

Original poster
Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 18:55

Update : I phoned 101, they took my name and the instructors name and they said that the instructor sounds dodgy and told me not to have another lesson with him

they said they logged the details of what road it happened on and what type of car it was, they said nothing will come of it if the owner of the car doesn’t report it to the police but they said I’ve done all I can in terms of telling authorities and they told me not to be worried over it.

They also told me to look up if he’s a legitimate instructor too, I did and his name is on the website . But in terms of paying for the damages he told me to wait to see what the driving school says and to phone citizens advice, but the police said it sounds really odd because I shouldn’t have to pay.

and they said nothing about me not getting out the car.. they said the instructor should’ve and he committed a road traffic offence by not leaving his details.

so thank you so much to the nice, supportive people here. I shan’t be driving again. If I do decide to drive one day I’ll probably drive automatic since I think I get overwhelmed with remembering gear changes, indication, looking in mirrors, special distance and awareness, the handbrake, the clutch etc. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m autistic but I find it too difficult so this is my sign not to go back and do it again.

to the people criticising me, go f* yourselves.

OP posts:
HangingOver · 15/03/2023 18:55

Sorry OP, you have discovered the hard way that Mumsnet hates people who prang cars

MN also hates people who are anxious drivers but also hates people who don't drive.

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 18:56

ArDi · 15/03/2023 18:53

Sorry OP, you have discovered the hard way that Mumsnet hates people who prang cars.
Definitely find a new teacher. This one sounds rubbish. If I were you I would refuse to pay. What's he going to do - sue you? Then he'd have to explain to the Court why he told you to drive away from an accident.
Don't give up - driving is such a useful skill to have, and opens up all sorts of possibilities.

Mumsnet doesn't hate people who prang cars. These things happen. Mumsnet, and people in general, strongly dislike people who damages someone else's property and don't make any attempt to own up or make it right.

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 18:57

Don't let it put you off driving OP. Just find an instructor with recommendations from local people.

Original poster
Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 18:57

@GoodChat it seems like their car wasn’t even damaged since the police haven’t heard anything and it happened 7 hours ago.

the police agreed it wasn’t my responsibility, it was the instructors.

OP posts: