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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:
winterbegone · 15/03/2023 16:13

I would ask who his insurance company is and call them to log the accident, he can't force you to pay, that's his problem and why there is insurance. Sounds like it's trying to protect his no claims

StellaAndCrow · 15/03/2023 16:13

Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 15:12

@Forestdweller11 even people who have passed their tests do it. Everyone makes mistakes.

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, I definitely should’ve been more careful.
it has put me off driving lessons completely though. I shan’t be doing them again. Driving isn’t for me

OP, I used to think that "driving wasn't for me". I had a lot of lessons, hated it each time. There seemed to be so many things to do at once - clutch, gears, steering etc etc - I could hardly believe that some people would choose to listen to the radio while doing all this - I needed full concentration! I finally passed my test.
It all gets much better when you've passed and you can practice without an audience. I've been driving for many years now, drive as part of my job, and no longer have to think about it. You don't need to think that driving's not for you. It just takes some of us longer to learn, depending on what our coordination etc is like. Keep going, with a different instructor!

DawntilDusk4 · 15/03/2023 16:14

NowAAT · 15/03/2023 16:10

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.

Show quote history

I clearly state driving instructing insurance is liable I was replying to another poster if you read the quote history.

NameChangePoP · 15/03/2023 16:14

Please don't worry OP. You will not be liable required to pay anything to the instructor as he has insurance for this kind of thing.

Personally, I would be more concerned that the instructor is a) Trying to get you pay for something he knows you're not liable for, and b) Didn't stop at the scene of accident in his car.

I would be reporting him to the driving school for both of the above and telling them you no longer have confidence in him, and their school.

WisherWood · 15/03/2023 16:16

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

It's really difficult in a car that's new to you to judge where the edge of it is, especially if you haven't driven for a while. IME it's one of the most common mistakes to make. My DP had had his new car, wider than his old one, for about 2 weeks when he scraped the left hand side against a pillar in a car park. He's a good driver, he just messed up on that occasion. However, once you're aware that this can be a problem, you do allow for it, and remember to give more space than you think you need.

Ignore people OP. I think I probably had 50 lessons, plus time driving with my mum. But you do need a much better instructor and one that helps you adjust wing mirrors etc. so you are more aware of the width of the car.

Just tell the instructor that his insurance will cover any damage and then change driving schools. Not just the instructor, I don't like the sound of the school either.

Pearlygates · 15/03/2023 16:18

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 ☺️

You are wrong. She is not responsible and she doesn't need to be wasting time calling citizens advice.

WilsonMilson · 15/03/2023 16:18

Legally he is on very dodgy ground. Firstly, he left the scene of an accident without leaving contact details, so you are well within your rights to go to the police, and I would certainly tell the driving instructor that is your intention (he will fall over himself stop that happening). I would also get in touch with the driving school he is affiliated with - it’s their reputation at stake there and I imagine they wouldn’t want to be associated with this chancer.
Driving instructor insurance means that you are fully indemnified on any claim, meaning that it literally has nothing to do with you, despite the fact you were driving. It’s entirely his risk.

I would firstly inform the driving school, he is self employed but uses their name, I would then also inform the DVSA and I would also be minded to contact the police.

Fucking outrageous behaviour by this so called instructor. Never get in his car again.

MancMamof1 · 15/03/2023 16:19

My Uncle is a driving instructor and none of his students have ever paid for damage to the car, that is what the instructors insurance is for and part of the £30 a lesson you pay for surely.

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 16:20

Don't pay him a penny and find another instructor.

I'd also be tempted to go back to the other car and write a note explaining what happened and with his details if I was you, as he left the scene of an accident.

Grumpybutfunny · 15/03/2023 16:21

What's in your contract with him? Are you liable for his excess if you cause an accident (I'm not interested in an argument about the morals of this) if so it will be cheaper to pay for the wing mirror. For reference my excess on a normal insurance policy is 1.5k

hoppalong · 15/03/2023 16:21

Yes please don't give up! It took me ages to pass but I finally got there, and definitely worth it.

DawntilDusk4 · 15/03/2023 16:22

Technically though you were the legal driver at the time of the accident so you should have insisted on stopping and leaving details the driving instructor is negligible and liable but you are the one who committed the offence of leaving the scene of an accident while you were driving without leaving your details.

Original poster
Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 16:22

@WilsonMilson even if there’s no visible damage to the other car is it still wrong for him to have told me to keep driving?

i sent the driving school a second email saying that he pulled me over, looked at the other car in the rear view mirror and told me to keep going. Just so that I’m covered

OP posts:
GoodChat · 15/03/2023 16:23

Grumpybutfunny · 15/03/2023 16:21

What's in your contract with him? Are you liable for his excess if you cause an accident (I'm not interested in an argument about the morals of this) if so it will be cheaper to pay for the wing mirror. For reference my excess on a normal insurance policy is 1.5k

How is your excess that high?! That's 5x my annual insurance.

WeeOrcadian · 15/03/2023 16:23

Jackthelast · 15/03/2023 15:28

Don't pay. I learned to drive with an independent instructor and a council van ran into the back of me when I braked for a dog running into the road. He should have insurance to cover it. I didn't pay a thing, nor did it affect my insurance premiums.

Someone running into the back of you is entirely different - 99% of the time they're the fault of the 'back' driver, I.e. The person who hits the vehicle in front of them. That isn't the case here. The OP hit a parked vehicle. Though my mind is blown by the fact that he wants the OP to pay for the damage to HIS vehicle but didn't even leave his details for the vehicle OP hit.....

OP - don't pay a penny until you get some actual legal advice, maybe try CAB?

Original poster
Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 16:23

DawntilDusk4 · 15/03/2023 16:22

Technically though you were the legal driver at the time of the accident so you should have insisted on stopping and leaving details the driving instructor is negligible and liable but you are the one who committed the offence of leaving the scene of an accident while you were driving without leaving your details.

That really doesn’t make any sense. I don’t know what I’m doing, he told me to keep going so I did.

I emailed the driving school and told them everything.
what details? I don’t have insurance. He’s the one with the full license and insurance.

OP posts:
SirChenjins · 15/03/2023 16:24

Shamdyhandy · 15/03/2023 16:09

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

What's astounding is that someone can be so stupid as to post something like that - it's almost as if they've never seen or even read about accidents caused by people who have been driving for years. Try and engage your brain before you post.

OP - do not pay. The instructor has insurance for this kind of thing and should have had full control of the car. That's part of what you're paying for.

Shamdyhandy · 15/03/2023 16:25

It’s not one wing mirror knock that worried me, it’s the fact you said your old instructor would regularly use the wheel to veer you away from cars which suggests this was a common occurrence. Therefore I can only assume you’ve had a dreadful instructor as this shouldn’t be happening after a year of learning (50 lessons).

DawntilDusk4 · 15/03/2023 16:26

You need to find a new instructor with cameras front and rear and have the microphone on too during lessons this covers everyone then. Expect to pay more £50 to £60 for 1 hour but in the long run it will save you money. He does sound very unprofessional and I do empathise with you as the learner it is not a nice experience and the driving instructor handled it inappropriately. DO NOT PAY him anymore money. Forget about it now. Move on and block his number. Just be more selective which driving instructor you choose in the future.

Advicerequest · 15/03/2023 16:27

is he an approved driving instructor or training to be one asif he's not he's breaking the law

Tell him you're not paying and if he insists ayou pay, say you will be contacting the ADI register to clarify and explaining that he is trying to charge you and that he drove away from an accident. Then report him in writing to the driving school.

Original poster
Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 16:27

@Shamdyhandy because that’s what instructors are meant to do. Who said I was too close to other cars? I was too close to the hedge down a country lane one time so he used the wheel.

he did it maybe once or twice per 2 hour lesson. I don’t know where you got the information that I did it on a regular basis.

I did 50 hours worth of lessons. so I maybe had 30 lessons worth.

OP posts:
Advicerequest · 15/03/2023 16:28

Google approved driving instructor license - it's a government site. Info there

GoodChat · 15/03/2023 16:28

www.hg.org/legal-articles/who-is-at-fault-in-driving-school-vehicle-accidents-49649

OP there are a few articles on line that are worth reading. It seems that you're the one at fault for the accident and not him, although he can be held accountable for not properly supervising.

Contact him and ask for his insurance details and report the accident to 101.

You're also responsible for failing to stop.

Original poster
Yupbabs · 15/03/2023 16:28

@DawntilDusk4 i didn’t get a say in which instructor I chose, the driving school assigned him to me. Unfortunately.

OP posts:
Architectahoy · 15/03/2023 16:28

Dodgy af

Don't pay x