Driving lessons and specialist driving instructors

All new drivers should have professional driving lessons and disabled learner drivers may want to look for instructors who have specialist knowledge of their needs.

Look for instructors who have taken a special course - often at Banstead Mobility Centre or the Transport Research Laboratory.

Experienced instructors can teach you more than how to drive, including:

  • how to get in and out of the car more easily
  • how to get your wheelchair in and out of the car (if applicable)
  • how to operate any adapted controls

Increasingly, instructors and driving schools have simple hand controls fitted to one or more of their fleet and will offer specialist tuition.

If you are aged between 16 and 24, Motability may be able to offer financial support towards the cost of driving lessons.

 Automan Driving School have Adaptive automatic cars with hand controls , if you are disabled and have qualified for free lessons from Motability you will be contacted direct when your contract is e-mailed to us.

If you have a disabilty and have not qualified for free lessons please phone Roland on 07814136539 or Automan Driving School office 028 90500774

Driving and disability

 

Having a medical condition or disability does not necessarily mean you cannot or will not be allowed to drive. Whether you are a new or an experienced driver, you must let the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) know about any medical condition or disability that may affect your driving.

Medical conditions, disabilities and driving

You must tell the DVLA if you have, or have ever had, a medical condition or an impairment that may affect your driving.

If you hold a current driving licence and have a 'notifiable' medical condition or disability, you must tell the DVLA right away. You should not wait until your licence is due for renewal.

You must also tell the DVLA if your medical condition or disability has become worse since your licence was issued or if you develop a new medical condition or disability.

Sometimes the best option can be to surrender your license, and reapply for its restoration at a later date.

'Notifiable' medical conditions and disabilities include epilepsy, strokes and other neurological conditions, mental health problems, physical disabilities and visual impairments. There is information about how to tell the DVLA in the general motoring section of Directgov.

The research charity Ricability publishes booklets aimed at motorists with particular needs, including motoring after amputation, receiving a brain injury or having a stroke, and motoring with arthritis, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis or restricted growth.

New drivers and the provisional driving licence

Before you can learn to drive a car, moped or motorcycle, you must apply for a provisional driving licence. If you have a notifiable medical condition or disability you must declare it on the application form.

The DVLA aims to deliver your provisional driving licence to you within three weeks of receiving your application. It might take longer if they have to check on your health or personal details.

Motoring information on Directgov