Can You Request a Female Driving Instructor?

23/03/2023

If you’re thinking about learning to drive, you’re probably doing lots of searching online for a driving school and instructor.

The process of becoming confident enough on the road to take the practical driving test takes around 45 hours of lessons and 20 hours of private practice for the average learner. This is a lengthy period of one-on-one time you’ll spend with your instructor, so it’s worth researching to find an instructor that suits you.

For some, this might be a female driving instructor. There are plenty of reasons why someone might prefer to learn how to drive with a female instructor, but we’ll discuss these a little later on.

Most driving schools will accept requests of gender preference from learners enquiring about lessons as long as they have the instructors available. However, the vast majority of driving instructors in the UK are male, so it might not always be possible to learn to drive with a female instructor in your local area. If you would rather learn to drive with a female driving instructor, enquire with your chosen driving school to see if they can cater to your preferences.

We’re going to dive a little deeper into what you should know about requesting a female instructor ahead of your first driving lesson and how you can go about doing this.

Why might someone request a female driving instructor?

Although most learner drivers will have no preference as to whether their instructor is male or female, others might feel more comfortable being taught by a woman. But why might this be?

For many, religious or cultural reasons will play a significant role. In some religions, women cannot be alone with a male unless they’re related. This can also apply to men, meaning they can’t be alone with a female unless they’re related. In these instances, the learner will have to request a driving instructor of the same gender.

Taking driving lessons is a one-on-one experience that can be daunting for many. As learner drivers have to sit in close proximity to their driving instructor, some may simply feel more comfortable taking lessons with a female instructor.

You’ll also spend many hours with your instructor whilst learning to drive. You’ll probably find that during your lessons, you will get to know your instructor a bit more, and they’ll learn more about you, too. For this reason, some women may prefer a female driving instructor that they are more comfortable talking to and can relate to a little more.

Some may say that female driving instructors are more patient, calm and empathic. But gender isn’t an indication of an instructor’s personality. You’ll find plenty of male driving instructors that hold these traits too.

Female driving instructors: the stats

So we know that there are more male driving instructors in the UK, but what do the stats actually say?

While there aren’t any exact figures around the number of female driving instructors on the ADI register, we do know that in April 2012, only 22.4% of registered ADIs in Great Britain were female.

As of January 2023, 39,081 driving instructors were on the ADI register. This means that if the proportion of female driving instructors remained the same as it was in April 2012 (22.4%), only 8,754 of these ADIs would be female.

The percentage of registered female ADIs has likely changed since then, so take this number as a guesstimate. We might not have concrete, up-to-date statistics around the number of female driving instructors in the UK, but we can safely say that the number of male driving instructors in the UK significantly outweighs the number of females.

So now you know why not every driving school can grant your preference for a female driving instructor. And if they can, you might even be put on a waiting list.

How to request a female driving instructor

Requesting a female driving instructor with Bill Plant Driving School is quick and easy. All you need to do is give us a call on 0330 555 2254 or fill in the enquiry form on our dedicated female driving instructor page to arrange your first driving lesson, and make sure to mention that you require a female instructor.

The team at Bill Plant Driving School will do everything we can to assign a female driving instructor to provide your driving lessons. However, this entirely depends on if there’s a female driving instructor in your area and whether they have the availability.

Enquire today to find out if we have a female driving instructor near you to help you get out on the road driving independently.

FAQs about female driving instructors

What type of driving lessons can I get with a female driving instructor?

Driving instructors provide a number of different lesson types, depending on their preference and vehicle transmission.

At Bill Plant Driving School, you can find both male and female driving instructors to provide:

How can you become one of Bill Plant Driving School’s female instructors?

As we know, there are many more male instructors in the UK than females. This puts female driving instructors in relatively short supply.

In January 2022, 72.1% of ADI driving instructors (from 6,381 ADIs who responded to the DVSA’s working as a driving instructor survey) had a waiting list for learner drivers, and we’re seeing similar trends today. We’re eager to welcome more women onto our team to make it easier for learner drivers to get out on the road with a preferred driving instructor.

If you’re considering changing career paths to become a driving instructor, take a look at Bill Plant Driving School’s driving instructor training courses and find an option to suit you. You can find intensive courses to get you out teaching in the shortest possible time or flexible options to learn at your own pace around family or work commitments.

If you need some more information about becoming a driving instructor, discover our other guides:

Are female driving instructors better?

All driving instructors in the UK have undertaken advanced training to qualify to teach learners how to drive. So in terms of driving skills, knowledge and qualifications, there won’t be any difference between male and female driving instructors.

At Bill Plant Driving School, all our driving instructors are professional, reliable and waiting to share their driving knowledge to get you passing your driving test in no time.

Are female driving instructors more expensive?

Although the average cost for an hour of driving lessons in the UK is £34, this will vary significantly depending on a number of factors. Female driving instructors don’t necessarily charge more than male driving instructors for their lessons.

Instead, the prices vary according to factors like location, driving instructor experience, whether you require lessons in an automatic or manual transmission vehicle and if you choose regular or intensive driving lessons.