After taking a back seat for over 100 days due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, learner drivers in England are finally able to return to the wheel. Of course, the health and safety of pupils and instructors alike, are paramount. To ensure that driving lessons in East London are carried out in safe conditions, a wide range of new measures have been implemented before, during, and after your drive. Read on as we go through the full list of the post-lockdown driving lesson safety procedures!
Before your Driving Lesson
At least 24 hours prior to your driving lesson taking place, your instructor may be in contact to assure you that they have not been displaying any coronavirus symptoms. They will also ask you to confirm that you have not been showing the symptoms of COVID-19 within the last seven days, or have been in contact with someone who has displayed the coronavirus symptoms within the last fortnight. If the measures above cannot be met, then the driving lesson will not take place. However, it can be rescheduled for when the criteria is met.
It is also recommended that you wear suitable clothing, which includes garments that cover as much of your arms and legs as possible. It is also asked that you do not bring any unnecessary personal items to your lessons – such as your mobile phone or food and drink.
Washing your hands, in coalition with the government guidelines of 20 seconds, immediately before you leave your property for a lesson is also suggested, whilst family members and/or partners will not be permitted to join you on your lesson.
Finally, driving schools such as Bill Plant Driving School recommend making payments for driving lessons electronically. These can either be made over the phone or online, eliminating the risks associated with cash handling.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Car Cleaning
It is suggested that all Driving Instructors wear disposable PPE – including gloves and a mask – for driving lessons. It is also recommended that you wear your own disposable PPE for lessons, as well.
Similarly to washing your hands before the lesson, it is crucial that you wear your PPE in line with the government guidelines – which includes fully covering your mouth and nose with the mask.
Before you enter the car for your lesson, the instructor will ensure that the vehicle has been thoroughly cleaned, and sanitised, with antibacterial wipes and/or spray. Emphasis will be paid to the key areas, including the steering wheel, gear stick, hand brake, door handles, mirrors, and seat controls.
Shaking hands with your instructor before the lesson will also not be allowed.
During your Driving Lesson
In order to avoid using the air conditioning, your Driving Instructor will provide ventilation during the lesson by partially winding down the window. If air con is required, it will not be set to the recirculate option.
It is recommended that you apply hand sanitiser, or use antibacterial wipes, throughout your lesson, whilst face-to-face contact should also be limited. This means that you should face forward when having a discussion.
If your instructor needs to give a demonstration, for example how to parallel park, they will wipe down all the key areas before and after swapping seats. However, they will try to ensure that this is not the case.
Finally, if you or the Driving Instructor start to show any symptoms of COVID-19 during the drive, the lesson will end as soon as possible and you will return home.
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Changes have also been made to Practical Driving tests, which resumed on July 22nd.
There you have it folks, are you looking forward to getting back onto the road?
