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

[Yupbabs]

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.

I’m really not being rude here, but if you have had 50 lessons, and other instructor has had to gain control previous occasions , then I think perhaps you may be best not continuing to learn to drive. Driving these days is a mare with lots of arrogant road users and if somebody has to keep stopping you hitting things then it doesn’t bode well.

I'm a non-driver. I had lessons, and found every single one traumatic. I totally understand how this incident has knocked your confidence, and I'm sad for you that on top of that, you had the extra bother of him trying to charge you for the wing mirror.

I am very compliant, and I'd have also driven off if the instructor told me to in the same situation, (like you say, you didn't mow someone down FGS! You'd have known instinctively that you'd have needed to stop then!)

I hope that you're feeling better about the situation now that you've spoken to 101... you've done all that you realistically could.

I hope you do continue to learn to drive - I bitterly regret not pushing through my driving anxiety, and I'm 30 years older than you! Perhaps ask around your friends for recommendations of sympathetic & kind instructors - and automatic sounds like a great idea.

Really? Not being rude. I think you are

I think it's perfectly reasonable that after over a years break from driving the op might be a bit rusty. And also being in a new car might take a while to familiarise herself

What is this fucking obsession with telling the op they're a shit driver on here?

It doesn't sound right unless you've agreed to any terms / conditions. Feels like he's trying it on perhaps to avoid a claim. I could understand perhaps an excess being charged but again would have to be something clearly agreed to.

That’s what they have insurance for. Ask them why they’re not putting it through their insurance.

Out of interest, how long have you been driving and have you never ever had a prang of any description whatsoever?

I think you're a bit damned if you do and damned if you don't, about driving, on MN. It's apparently a vital adult skill and if you don't drive you're a freeloading pain in the hoop but if you drive less than perfectly even as a learner then it's not for you and you shouldn't be doing it.

FWIW OP I had loads of lessons and concluded it was not for me. I absolutely hated it. I have ASD so that's a possible factor.

Hi OP
I’m glad the driving school confirmed the instructor was at fault. Some of the comments you’ve had on here are awful.

please don’t let this put you off - shit happens, and things get misjudged at times. Put it down to
experience and find another instructor. You’ll regret not continuing with it. Good luck ❤️

I worry about women who describe themselves as ‘very compliant’ 😟

look, there’s enough drivers out there who aren’t actually able to drive well and they cause my premiums to go up and put me at risk of non fault accidents that then cost me as despite non fault, premiums still go up by ridiculous amount the next 5 years. I’ve been hit whilst sat at a red light by one recently passed driver and someone pulled out into the side of my car who’d also recently passed. Some people should stick to a bus to save the rest of us from more poor quality drivers and financial headaches. It’s not rude, it’s just the blunt truth

Been driving 23 years. Only ever been hit twice , both times by newly passed drivers . Hit in rear at speed whilst sat at a red light, and other one flew out a junction into side of my car. Despite it being non fault, my premiums jumped up by £42 a month for next few years.

Don’t pay, and don’t let this put you off or dent confidence. Change to another school/instructor, preferably recommended. I had some shockers! Good luck!

@WWYD22 yeah there are shit drivers everywhere. Your point is from this scant information the op is too and should just give it up and get the bus.

Jesus. Would hate to see you when you're actually trying to be rude

Glad you got is sorted OP. For future reference, most cars nowadays have seats that raise up so ask any future instructors if there's does so and make sure you raise it all the way up. Do NOT drive off if you cannot gauge the size of the car, it's vitally important to being safe. Good luck!

I've not read all the messages so you may have been told this already but (and I used to be a driving instructor) you are not a qualified driver and as such you are not the person in control of the car, he is.

Dual controls consist not only the foot pedals but the instructors ability to lean over and take control of the wheel and use the hand break. It is his responsibility to use these dual controls in any instance required to stop an accident. If he fails to do so, it is his accident, not yours.

The same is true if you were speeding. He can control speed with his foot pedals and as the only qualified driver in the vehicle, if the car is caught going over the speed limit, it is the instructor that will receive the speeding fine, not the unqualified learner driver. This is UK based info, can't speak for other countries.

Hi OP.
I feel a lot of people have been really harsh on you. Finding it difficult to learn to drive seems to be alien to people but there are many of us out there who struggle.
It was fully on him, yes you have had lots of driving lessons but with an instructor who took full and proper responsibility. I am glad the police have backed you up saying it was on him, because it totally was.
You may have the confidence to try again but I have got to 42 without driving so it is possible, although it has been really hard at times and I wish I could drive. I am going to take more lessons when I have the finances, for my children, and see how I go. But after having a very small accident at 17 whilst learning it took me a long time to come back to driving. I was having lessons until my marriage broke down 4 years ago and I will again.
You can if you want to in the future but please hold your head up high. Xx

Hello, I am sorry you are receiving negative messages. It’s uncalled for. You are taking lessons because you are learning how to drive. The number of lessons you have had previously is irrelevant. Everyone learns at different rates and starting with a new instructor is nerve wracking as it is. This is regardless of age etc.

My father is a driving instructor and no you shouldn’t have to pay for the cars wing mirror. It’s all part and parcel of being an Instructor hence paying extra for specific driving instructor insurance. Accidents happen to both experienced drivers and new drivers.
it was the driving instructors responsibility to stop and check the other car- not yours as you are under his guidance and supervision so he was in the wrong there.

please do not give up. Spend some time researching instructors in your area, check some reviews, chat with them on the phone to explain your anxieties and thoughts about driving and you will get there. A driving instructor that keeps grabbing the wheel rather than talking to you about road positioning doesn’t sound like a very good one.

keep your chin up, don’t pay for the wing mirror and don’t give up. You can do this. X

For fuck’s sake, so many perfect drivers on this thread 😂

OP, don’t pay - he should have insurance to cover this. He can ask for a contribution or for you to cover the cost but I would just point him in the direction of his insurers. Don’t be put off for driving though, you’re only young and once you have passed, this will be a distant memory.

I was scrolling through to see if anyone else had mentioned the number of lessons! I had 21 & I thought that was loads 😬😳

Oh dear. I suspect he's trying to avoid his insurance cos it'll cost more than the damage. But tgats hus call, not yours and you don't need to fund it either. Any probs speak to the police.

Also to help you, you need to suss out a point on the windscreen that means you're 3 feet from a parked car so you can stay that distance. Whenever you drive. You also need similar view points for reverse parking, front and rear bumpers and proximity to dotted line in middle of tye Road. Your instructor should teach you all of these. 50+ lessons is quite a lot OP, not saying stop driving, just saying you need more help to be a safe driver. Good luck.

So many incompetent readers, too. Read the updates.

OP I just wanted to say I passed in an auto, I’m ND, I don’t really enjoy driving but changing over to an auto made such a missive difference to me as I wasn’t having to process as much information or remember to do as much and I could put all my focus onto the road and my surroundings, it took me around 40 hours so plenty of us struggle with learning to drive, it’s doesn’t come easy to everyone.

Absolutely. I used to be a driving instructor. The insurance costs more because you have inexperienced drivers driving. Find a different instructor and don’t pay.

Im sorry this happened to you OP, and I'm sorry for the flaming you have gotten on here. You forget how awful being a learner driver is almost as soon as you stop being a learner driver.

I passed my test about 18 months ago when I was 38. I'd had lessons for a long, long time and felt like you - driving was not for me, there were too many things to remember. I found it really frustrating that 17 year olds with half a brain cell could drive a car and yet here was me, an (alleged) fully grown, intelligent, functioning adult with a good job and two children couldn't and would get really defensive about it. I swore I was trying to learn to shut people up, not because I actually wanted to drive.

The instructor was absolutely in the wrong for telling you to drive off and it is his insurance that should be claimed on. It makes me wonder if the wing mirror had an issue with it before you got in the car and he was desperate to get it fixed and used you as the excuse. Driving instructors are regulated and you could consider calling the DVSA (Driving Vehicle Standards Association) and asking their advice or reporting the instructor to them.

A good instructor should also show you how to adjust the height of your seat so that you can see better, learning to judge width of your vehicle is really hard sometimes, even harder when you cant see.

Good luck OP, I am sure you will drive in future and please don't let this put you off . I too debated moving to auto but then someone pointed out we would always need two cars and I'd never be guaranteed a car I could drive through work (we have pool cars) so I gritted my teeth and persevered, despite thinking that it was completely ridiculous to be in charge of several tons of metal moving at speed when at points all four of your limbs are doing different things. I now love driving, which I never ever (EVER!) thought I would. Its still scary, I still have moments where I want to abandon the car and walk away, I still make stupid mistakes. But, I can do things I never thought possible, like drive DCs to the beach or share long drives with my DH. You will drive and I promise you, it will be worth every single second of heartache.

@Yupbabs I'm glad you don't have to pay anything and yes - find a different instructor. What I would say though, if you can't see properly from the seat, check that whatever Instructor you use has a small car and which also has a seat that you can raise the height of to lift you up a bit. I think a lot of them do these days, but I'm not sure. Our last 2 both had/have that facility. Our steering wheel is also adjustable.

My first driving instructor was crap. And I mean totally crap. Told me to do things that weren't right. One occasion he wanted me to cross at a crossroads junction and I didn't go because there was a big black dog running down the opposite road I was supposed to be going onto. I don't think he even saw it when he was getting annoyed because I wasn't moving!! I swapped after 4 lessons with him and got someone else who was wonderful. Please don't let this experience put you off.