Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

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:
thecatsthecats · 15/03/2023 15:56

Any driver who thinks that they are 100% aware of all circumstances and are immune to making errors of judgement is:

A) Full of shit.
B) Painfully unaware of the functions of the human brain and vision that means that this impossible.

I'd rather be a driver who was aware of attention fallibilities of the brain than one who was deluded enough to think that things like this couldn't happen to them.

PrincessHoneysuckle · 15/03/2023 15:57

You definitely don't pay.Noone would ever learn to drive if accidents were expected to be paid for by an unqualified driver.Hes taking the piss x

MyriadOfTravels · 15/03/2023 15:57

LookItsMeAgain · 15/03/2023 15:46

Can I ask what amount of damage was done to the other vehicle, the one that y the wing mirror of the car you were driving hit?

You hit a car with sufficient force to detach the wing mirror (not just move it into the wrong position) from the car you were driving.

I don't know if you'll have to pay towards the repair, but as someone else has posted, after 50 lessons, you should have more spatial awareness on the road so as to have been able to avoid the other vehicle with the one you were in. I think it is relevant to the underlying issue as to the situation you now find yourself in.

I also wouldn't pack in the learning to drive either. There are other ways to learn to drive to give you the confidence on knowing your position on the road. Just doing a quick Google search, I found some residential driving courses that might work for you:
www.pass-drive.co.uk/driving-lessons/residential-driving-courses/
It's intensive and you get a lot of driving skills built up. Don't throw in the towel just yet. You can do it!

No the fact that the OP had 50 lessons before hand is not here nor there.
The car was danaged whilst she driving. Its the driving instructor responsibility. And it should go under his insurrance.
The not stoping at the scene of an accidemt is also his fault entirely!!

It could have been the OP's first lesson or the 100th, it does not matter!!

starfishmummy · 15/03/2023 15:58

I couldn’t even see the edge of the car and where it came to. With that being said, i was only 10 minutes into the lesson and I haven’t driven a car for 15 months before that

This is what bothers me really. Maybe if you change instructors ask the new one if you can go somewhere off road to get used to the car. And while we all have to get used to "knowing" where the edges of the vehicle are in bigger cars, perhaps learning in a smaller car with a better view would be better.

StopGo · 15/03/2023 15:59

So the vehicle you were driving hit another vehicle and just drove off? That is failing to stop after an accident and can have serious implications for you and the instructor.

You need to report this to the police today giving as much detail as you can. You need to protect yourself and do the right thing by the owner/driver of the other car.

The instructor needs to claim on his insurance.

Gobacktosleep · 15/03/2023 16:00

OP please ignore the people mocking the amount of lessons you’ve had. I’m sorry that right now you feel that driving is not for you - all I want to say is don’t let this break your confidence to try again with a better instructor!

Some people are just not ‘natural’ drivers and it doesn’t click straight away but it will come in time with enough practice.

I had WELL over 50 lessons, changed to an automatic halfway through to make things easier, took 3 automatic tests and finally passed aged 26. Been driving now for 15 years, no accidents, no points on license. I knew I wasn’t a natural driver but kept pushing on as I really needed the freedom a car can give.

Keep going 😊

jannier · 15/03/2023 16:01

He has dual control breaks and should be watching and able to move the steering wheel it's his fault

strawberryicecreamice · 15/03/2023 16:02

OP go automatic. Do NOT give up.

Shelefttheweb · 15/03/2023 16:02

Was the parked car damaged too? I agree you need to report this to the police.

strawberryicecreamice · 15/03/2023 16:02

It takes some people longer than others and that's ok! Please don't let this idiot put you off.

Pearlygates · 15/03/2023 16:04

Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 15:43

@WilsonMilson I got in touch with a driving school for lessons and they assigned me an instructor, i looked on their website just and it says that all their instructors are self employed so he doesn’t work for the driving school but I went through that driving school to get him as an instructor, if that makes sense

im not sure how to go about this. If I report him, or just refuse to pay and then leave it..

im not sure how to go about this. If I report him, or just refuse to pay and then leave it..

Do both. He needs reporting. Above all do not pay him a penny.

Biscuits1011 · 15/03/2023 16:05

Firstly he should be using his dual controls to make sure you didn’t hit it, secondly no, you shouldn’t be bloody paying! I did the same when I was learning and my instructor said it was his fault he should have made sure I didn’t hit it.. no more said.

DawntilDusk4 · 15/03/2023 16:05

RosaBonheur · 15/03/2023 15:52

This. ☝️

Show quote history

If you continue to take no responsibility at all in the fact that you are partly responsible for this accident you will still be hitting wing mirrors after 100 hours of lessons. Of course the driving instructors insurance should pay as he is liable but if you don’t feel you have any responsibility at all for what happened from a learning point of view and a reflection point of view you will never progress. I work with very nervous drivers who have had numerous instructors before me and the one thing they all agree on is that it wasn’t until they changed their mindset from student to driver that they started to progress. They pay me a premium upwards of £60 for one hour which after wasting thousands on cheaper lessons they are happy to do. I’m not saying it is your fault all I am advising is that you should reflect on what happened and acknowledge how you played a part in it otherwise you will be a student forever imo.

Isittimeformynapyet · 15/03/2023 16:05

B0g · 15/03/2023 15:30

Just seems like a huge amount, and really expensive.

Really expensive AND a huge amount?
Do you think it was also pricey?
In addition to the above, would you suggest it was extortionate?

Just scanned OP's posts and can't actually see a figure given, OR mentioned, or even stated.

BadNomad · 15/03/2023 16:05

He probably means for you to pay the excess amount (or less) if he's going through his insurance. If you actually knocked the other car's wing mirror off, then you should have stopped to report it to the owner.

What damage was done to your instructors car?

lopsey · 15/03/2023 16:05

I think he's trying to get you to pay so that he doesn't have to go through his insurance which will ultimately put his premiums up next year. I wouldn't of thought you'd be under any legal obligation to pay though. If he doesn't want to go through insurance then he's going to have to pay it out himself, just tell him it's his choice!

Namechangehereandnow · 15/03/2023 16:07

The driver is at fault/is responsible even as a learner. Those saying otherwise are wrong.
OP I’d ring citizens advice and see what they say.
Keep on driving, just get a different instructor - you need to get/bond with an instructor to get the best from yourself ☺️

DawntilDusk4 · 15/03/2023 16:08

starfishmummy · 15/03/2023 15:58

I couldn’t even see the edge of the car and where it came to. With that being said, i was only 10 minutes into the lesson and I haven’t driven a car for 15 months before that

This is what bothers me really. Maybe if you change instructors ask the new one if you can go somewhere off road to get used to the car. And while we all have to get used to "knowing" where the edges of the vehicle are in bigger cars, perhaps learning in a smaller car with a better view would be better.

Apologies. I just read this the lesson was not appropriate for your first lesson with him so it does need addressing. You should have been fully assessed in a quiet residential wide road area first. Like previous posters have said don’t let it out you off.

Shamdyhandy · 15/03/2023 16:09

You've had 50 lessons and are still veering into other cars - that’s astounding!

NowAAT · 15/03/2023 16:10

DawntilDusk4 · 15/03/2023 16:05

If you continue to take no responsibility at all in the fact that you are partly responsible for this accident you will still be hitting wing mirrors after 100 hours of lessons. Of course the driving instructors insurance should pay as he is liable but if you don’t feel you have any responsibility at all for what happened from a learning point of view and a reflection point of view you will never progress. I work with very nervous drivers who have had numerous instructors before me and the one thing they all agree on is that it wasn’t until they changed their mindset from student to driver that they started to progress. They pay me a premium upwards of £60 for one hour which after wasting thousands on cheaper lessons they are happy to do. I’m not saying it is your fault all I am advising is that you should reflect on what happened and acknowledge how you played a part in it otherwise you will be a student forever imo.

Show quote history

You're actually talking about something different here. We are talking about who is liable to pay for damages. I do understand what you mean but it's not really the point of the original post.

Back2Back2t · 15/03/2023 16:10

Shamdyhandy · 15/03/2023 16:09

You've had 50 lessons and are still veering into other cars - that’s astounding!

Go away

leafittome · 15/03/2023 16:11

Don't pay. Find a different instructor.
I had a small bump in an instructors car and was never asked for anything. In fact she said 'don't worry, I should have prevented it'. It did knock my confidence and I had a break from driving lessons. I went back a year later. Had about 80hrs and passed. Don't give up. Even if you never enjoy driving it's a good to be able to do it for some journeys etc

Original poster
Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 16:11

@BadNomad no, the instructors wing mirror was knocked off and he told me to stop to look in the rear view mirror at the other car, he said it looks ok and he told me to keep driving

OP posts:
PoshHorseyBird · 15/03/2023 16:11

Absolutely do not pay him!! He's probably just trying to get out of claiming on his insurance but that's what it's there for! If he doesn't want to claim he can pay out his own pocket but you should definitely not pay for it. I'd find another instructor if it were me.

Original poster
Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 16:13

@Shamdyhandy 50 hours worth of lessons, yes. what’s astounding is the fact that that’s all you pick up from this.. not the fact that the driving instructor is clearly dodgy.
I misjudged how far away I was, give me a fkn break

OP posts: