1. You must be of legal age to drive and produce a valid UK/Northern Ireland provisional Category B driving licence (unless taking lessons as a Young Learner). For motorway, Pass Plus or refresher lessons a full valid licence must be produced with identification as above. You must meet the minimum eye test requirements, which means you must be able to read a standard UK approved number plate at a minimum distance of 20.5 metres (67 feet). If you need to wear glasses or contact lenses in order to meet this requirement then you must wear them whenever you drive.
2. You must notify your instructor of any change of your ability or entitlement to have driving tuition, for example if your provisional licence has been revoked or for medical reasons such as epilepsy.
3. If you wish to cancel a lesson you must telephone or text and this must be acknowledged by your instructor. If the lesson can not be allocated to another student the instructor reserves the right to charge for the lesson. As an absolute minimum there must be at least 48 hours notice. The 48 hours notice is deemed to be from the time the instructor receives the message. Text messages sent after normal working hours may not be received or acknowledged until the next working day. The 48 hours notice does not exclude the fact that the lesson can still be charged if the instructor cannot re-allocate the lesson.
4. If your instructor turns up on time at the pre-arranged pick up point and you do not show, your instructor will wait 10 minutes if there is no contact made between you. After 10 minutes they will leave and you will have to pay for the lesson.
5. Your instructor will endeavour to arrive on time however, due to unforeseen circumstances such as breakdown, accidents, traffic hold ups etc, lesson times may need to changed or even be cancelled. If cancelled by your Instructor, no fee will be charged. Please allow at least 15 minutes after the lesson is due to start.
6. Lessons must be paid for in advance or at the time of the lesson by cash, debit/credit card or cheque. Your instructor will advise you to whom the cheque should be made payable. If a cheque is returned there will be an administration fee of £5 charged and the instructor reserves the right not to accept any further cheques.
7. You must not be under the influence of drugs/alcohol during the training. In the event of there being any signs of drugs/alcohol misuse, your instructor will withhold the use of the training vehicle for use of tuition or driving test until you are in a legal and fit state to drive. Any prescribed medication that may effect your driving should be declared to the instructor and to the DVLA medical board.
8. All sessions will start and finish at the same location unless alternative arrangements are made in advance. The instructor will determine a location for practical lessons which ensures both the pupils and public safety this means that the instructor may need to drive the pupil to and from the lesson location; this journey time forms part of the lesson as paid for.
9. Training vehicles provided by the school are taxed, insured for the purposes of driving tuition, fully roadworthy and fitted with dual controls. Pupils who require tuition in their own vehicle must supply evidence from their motor insurer that the car is covered for lessons when being supervised by a professional instructor in return for payment; the car must also be taxed and hold a current MOT certificate where appropriate.
10. Your instructor reserves the right to refuse use of a driving school vehicle for test if they consider that provision of a vehicle could cause a risk to public safety. Where a school car is used for test, the booking period will be based upon the instructor’s normal diary schedule. Depending on the time of the test this will require a minimum two hour booking and possibly longer. While your instructor will make every effort to ensure that the vehicle supplied for test will be fully road worthy and comply with all legal requirements at the start of the test, they cannot be held responsible for vehicle failure that occurs during the test and are not liable for consequential loss. Your instructor cannot be held responsible for test appointments cancelled by the DVSA due to bad weather, sickness, staff shortages or other reasons. Such cancellations are beyond the control of your instructor and therefore the lesson fee and ‘use of car’ fee for the booked period will be charged. Your instructor will advise about claiming compensation from the DVSA.
11. Penalties. As the driver of the vehicle you take responsibility for your own actions. You will be under close supervision and the instructor will take all reasonable steps to avoid any infringements of the law but the responsibility ultimately rests with the driver. Any fines that are incurred will be the responsibility of the driver.
12. During lessons, the instructor will make every effort to avoid damage to the car. However, if they consider you were driving in a dangerous or unpredictable way during a lesson and actual damage is caused despite best efforts made, you will be expected to pay half towards repairs (up to the level of excess on the instructor’s insurance policy). This will be discussed at the time of the damage. In addition, during driving tests, the examiner will not prevent you, the candidate from hitting the kerb or causing other similar minor damage to the car. Therefore, all damage caused by you whilst on test will be charged to you (up to the level of excess on the instructor’s insurance policy).
13. Your instructor agrees to abide by the conditions of the Professional Code of Conduct. A copy of this will be provided on request. In the unlikely event of complaint or dispute the guidelines of the Code of Conduct will be adhered to.
14. Special Offers are subject to the specific Terms and Conditions detailed with that offer and may be withdrawn at any time. The instructor will use their discretion when allowing an individual to take up a special offer. If the instructor does not allow you to take up a special offer the reason will be explained to you. The Special Offers are limited to new drivers, you must not have had lessons before with Red Amber Go or another driving school. All special offers will start with Controls, Moving Off and Stopping, Use of gears and Steering. The only exception will be by prior arrangement with the instructor. If you wish to cancel any future lessons with Red Amber Go and have paid for a special offer, any refund will be based on the standard hourly rate. This means that any lessons already taken will be calculated at the normal hourly rate effective when you paid for the offer.
15. Providing you take regular lessons (normally weekly) of at least 1.5 hour duration (unless the instructor agrees otherwise) and you complete at least 40 hours of training (unless the instructor agrees otherwise) you will be covered by the Pass Promise. You need to have taken and passed your theory test inside 10 weeks of joining and before your practical test you must have set and passed at least one mock exam. Once you have passed your mock exam and you take the practical test if you fail your practical exam the cost of your next test will be paid for. The cost of the ‘use of the car’ is not included and you must take at least 6 hours remedial lessons before your next practical test. The test must be taken in the instructor’s car.
