A new representative group for ADIs has been formed in light of the Government’s new Road Safety Strategy.

The group is specifically focusing on the proposals for a minimum learning period and a set syllabus for learner drivers.

It calls on all driver trainers to join in to increase knowledge and understanding around the proposals, and to strengthen its hand in influencing government decisions.

Our business

The Uniting Driver Trainers for Safer Drivers group has been formed in response to the Department for Transport’s Road Safety Strategy 2026.

In particular, it aims to give a voice to the driving instructor community regarding the proposed Minimum Learning Period (MLP) and Mandated Syllabus. 

Behind the formation of the group are the respected ADI and ADI Trainer Lee Jowett of KIT (Knowledgeablee Instructor Training), and supported by Kate Monk, Josh Hollerhan, Claire Hancock, and Bridget Bergstrom.

It’s a group that has already grown to more than 200 professional instructors.

It is principally aimed at gathering evidence, views, opinions and advice from the group’s wide range of ADIs and trainers.

This will be passed on to the working groups behind the MLP proposals that will work with DFT and DVSA through the planning and implementation phases. 

Findings from the working groups will also be fed back to members, uniting driver education and bridging the gap between the industry at the coal face of driver training and the working groups developing proposals. 

Better safer drivers

The minimum learning period, as part of the ambitious aim to reduce KSI collision statistics by 65% by 2035, is considered by the group to be a massive opportunity to reform driver education, and one that cannot be wasted.

Certainly, this is the viewpoint that has come back from the wider group’s members.

The majority of votes are in favour of a minimum period of 6 months, along with a mandated syllabus that includes human factors from Levels 3 and 4 of the Goals for Driver Education Matrix (GDE Matrix).

There are further calls for a reformation of instructor training and the introduction of Graduated Driving Licensing in the UK that go beyond the current proposals. 

The group’s founding member, Lee Jowett, summarised the hopes of the group: “This could be the last opportunity for us to have a wider impact on road safety for the foreseeable future. The chance to review what and how (young) novice drivers are educated…in the context of playing a lead role in attempting to reduce road fatalities, is a massive opportunity for our industry to develop training beyond basic competence”.

Lee added: “We must confront the opportunity, and the reality, readily and with an openness in all areas of driver education…from training to testing. We must put egos aside and come together with the best intentions if we are to make a mark.”

Seizing the opportunity

It is widely considered that the shift from instructor-led driver training to more client-centred learning, which has been taking place since 2014, has missed the mark in terms of education that addresses key contributory factors in collisions.

As such, it was a crucial, evidence-led opportunity that has failed to live up to its ideals. 

In turn, if that opportunity for a more fundamental and thorough evolution of the driver training industry was wasted, then this opportunity too could also be lost unless the industry itself gets fully involved and gives itself an effective and powerful voice in the proceedings. 

As Lee sums it up: “We must unite to ensure this works.”

Find out more and join in here.