How driving lessons will change in Telford

28^th May 2020

How driving lessons will change once lock-down eases

How driving lessons will change. Once the current lock down eases and the DVSA says providing all relevant precautions are taken, that it will be permitted to start teaching students who are not key-workers- What changes will be put in place to make the learning environment as safe as possible?

Before we go into details of driving lessons please be aware that during this period until further notice, our usual terms and conditions of needing 24 hours notice to cancel to avoid being charged for a lesson have been suspended.

If because of feeling unwell you decide to cancel your driving lesson, even if it is short notice, then no charges will be incurred.

The student and Driving Instructor need to consider:

• If we ourselves or others close to us have any symptoms - even if we think its colds/flu/hay-fever

• If we ourselves or our family fall into higher risk groups

• If we have a relative or partner we are living with who is also moderate or high risk

The main symptoms of COVID 19 described by the government are (but not exclusively):

• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)

• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

• a loss of taste or smell

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For the student

• Do you have or have had any symptoms of the virus within the last 7 days or have been in contact with someone who has within the last 14 days. – If so cancel your lesson

• Before your lesson, your driving instructor may call or text you and check if you have had any symptoms of the virus within the last 7 days

Do you know anyone or have been in contact with anyone that is showing symptoms or has been doing so within the last 14 days – If so, cancel your lesson

• Please make sure to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, in line with Government guidance, immediately before leaving the house for their lesson. If you want to wear disposable gloves, to put them on just before getting into the car

Make sure the pupil wears clothing that is suitable and covers as much of them as possible, including arms and legs

If you sneeze or cough then make sure it is directed into your arm or elbow joint - DO NOT sneeze or cough into your hands - this will then be placed back on the wheel! (Hence the need to wear clothes that cover your arms)

Your Driving Instructor

● Once your driving instructor arrives they may assess whether you are well enough to start the lesson.

If your driving instructor is not sure, because you may be showing symptoms – your driving instructor will not start the lesson they will explain that you need to cancel until you have recovered fully.

Ideally the instructor will do this before every lesson with you, even if you only saw them the day before

Your instructor will ask if you’ve washed your hands and that they hand sanitizer ready for the pupil to use

• Your instructor will explain that they have also just cleaned their hands with hand sanitizer, or soap and water where possible and that both of you should avoid touching your face and hands

• Your driving instructor will not shake your hand share visual aids, pens etc. Minimising contact with them for safety reasons

Between lessons your instructor will have cleaned down door handles inside and out, windows and mirror controls, seat and head restraints, seatbelt and its connection, gear lever, steering wheel, indicator and wiper stalks, car keys and training resources with Anti-bacterial/Anti virus wipes

• Your instructor will keep the windows down as much as possible during the lesson to allow for ventilation, so please wrap up warm as it might be cooler in the car

• If it does get too cold or too windy please tell your instructor who can adjust the heating or window setting on your side of the vehicle

• Your instructor will avoid using the air conditioning if possible however if it is used it won’t be set to recirculate to keep the air as fresh and clean as possible within the car– however the air conditioning may be kept on during hot weather, but the windows will remain down.

At this time that the students parents, guardians or friends, will not be able to sit in on the lesson

• Any new clients will need their licence checked electronically at https://www.gov.uk/check-driving-information You need: the last 8 characters of their driving licence and the check code from the client, ask them to hold the licence up so you can check it.

The instructor will NOT touch or take the licence from you. The code will be valid for 21 days and you can only use the code once.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

● EVERY Instructor WILL have hand sanitiser in the car (minimum 70% alcohol content) so please clean your hands as frequently as you can

• Antibacterial wipes or spray (checked so that they also say virus) should be used to clean down the car between lessons. Household disinfectant can also be used.

• The instructor will Have a supply of disposable bin bags in the car and put all wipes and tissues in the bin bag. They will Change the bin bag after each lesson and dispose of it responsibly

The pupil and driving instructor may also want to consider the following:

• Disposable gloves can be worn by the instructor and the pupil - but you will still need to wash your hands and clean down surfaces and controls. – However Some people have a latex allergy so if you wish to wear gloves you need to supply them yourself. You will need to change them after each lesson

• Face masks: You could also use face masks or coverings. The advice on the effectiveness of face masks and coverings varies but if it makes you feel more comfortable during the lesson then the option is there. Wearing a face covering is optional and is not required by law, including in the workplace

• If you do use a mask, make sure you use a new one frequently and dispose of the old one safely and responsibly. Cloth ones need to be washed at least daily and at 60 degrees and above to be effective. Gloves need to be changed frequently.

Your instructor and the pupil needs to Wear clothing that is suitable and covers as much of you as possible, including arms and legs

Wash your clothing as soon as you have finished for the day

During the lesson

For the near future all driving lessons will be at a maximum of 90 minutes. Anyone doing an Intensive course requiring more hours may do 90 mins in the morning and 90 mins in the late afternoon/ evening.

Intensive courses may also now be spread over a slightly longer period of 2 or 3 weeks

 Visual aids and any training resources should be held up and not passed between the two of you to hold and touch

• Writing should be done by the ADI don’t share a pen or other devices where possible. If you do then clean with anti-bac wipes straight afterwards

Instructor and pupil should avoid directly facing each other when discussing scenarios, it is safer to face forwards in the vehicle because we cannot maintain being 2 metres apart

• If you give a demonstration drive you will need to wipe down the controls before and after the drive

• Consider wherever possible giving any brief notes digitally

• Consider wherever possible reducing the handling of cash and use electronic payments and receipts

How driving lessons will change - After the lesson:

• No hand shaking, the instructor will clean their hands but WILL NOT go into the clients house to do this

• Remind the client to wash their hands as soon as they get back into their house

The instructor will Wipe the car down ready for the next lesson or your journey home

• Call the next pupil and assess their state to avoid a wasted journey

How driving lessons will change - Taking a driving test:

● Allow time on arrival at the test centre to wipe down the examiners side of the vehicle, including
seat and head restraint, seatbelt and its connection, the dashboard area and passenger door contact points

It may not be possible for both of you to enter the test centre waiting room

• Explain to the client how the examiner will behave on arrival at the test centre

The Instructor will not be allowed to accompany the test

The Instructor may not be allowed to attend at the end of test debrief

How driving lessons will change -

Terms and Conditions (T&C’s) during COVID 19:

Our usual T&Cs have been revised during this time. An example is late cancellation policy due to COVID-19.

This could relate to the following situations:
• If you or anyone in your household becomes unwell and has symptoms
• If you believe that you may have been in contact with someone showing symptoms
• If you become unwell and are showing symptoms or if anyone in your household is showing symptoms
• If you believe you may have been in contact with someone showing symptoms