New figures revealed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency show that complaints against unqualified driving instructors are rarely prosecuted.

The data, which has been obtained by Hippo Leasing, shows that while there were 961 complaints in the last five years, there were just 18 convictions - a rate of just two per cent.

Driving instructors who claim payment for instruction are deemed to be illegal if they don’t hold an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) qualification or if they are not a Potential Driving Instructor (PDI) in the course of training.

The problem has got to such a point that the DVSA are now making their own prosecutions rather than rely on the police and Crown Prosecution Service, but the dangers are still obvious. Tom Preston, Managing Director of Hippo Leasing commented on the findings: “Due to the nature of driving lessons, learners are in a particularly vulnerable position, alone in a car with a stranger for long periods of time. If a driving instructor isn’t approved by the DVSA, there is no guarantee of personal or vehicle safety.”

Despite the concerns and the DVSA taking matters into their own hands this year, the organisation claim that the vast majority of driving instructors are fully qualified. A statement from the DVSA said: “We have stringent measures in place to detect fraud and bring offenders to justice. Obtaining co-operation and witness statements is a vital part of the evidence required to prevent illegal driving instructors from operating. Therefore DVSA encourages individuals to come forward and work with our investigators.”

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