The Government has announced that Driving Instructors can return to work from Monday 12th April 2021. The procedure for driving lessons during the ongoing pandemic will be as follows in order to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19.
Before we get into the car, we will ask each other the following questions -
1) Have you, or a member of your household, had any symptoms of the virus within the last seven days?
The symptoms are -
2) Have you, or a member of your household, been in contact with anyone showing symptoms of the virus within the last fourteen days?
3) Have you, or a member of your household, been contacted by the Track & Trace service & should be self isolating?
4) Do you, or a member of your household, fall into the high risk category & have been shielding?
If we both feel comfortable with our respective answers to the above questions, we will both use hand sanitiser & put on our face coverings before getting into the car.
Before each lesson, I will have used either antibacterial wipes or an appropriate spray to sanitise the following contact points -
Please Note -
1) It is important to keep the car well ventilated & so we will have windows open as much as possible according to the weather. We will avoid using the air conditioning if possible. If it is used, we will not use the recirculating setting.
2) We will try to sit facing forwards as much as possible in order to avoid face to face contact while we are in the vehicle as we will not be able to maintain the recommended one metre plus distance. If necessary, we will have a discussion outside of the car where it is safe & legal to do so.
3) If I take control of the vehicle during the lesson, the car will be pulled up at the earliest convenience so that the relevant contol can be wiped down.
4) Visual aids, training resources, pens etc will not be passed between us unless necessary. If it happens, they will be wiped after use.
5) Any wipes etc used during the lesson will be disposed of appropriately between lessons.
6) I would prefer payment by BACS in advance of the lesson so that I do not have to handle cash.
7) We will both use hand sanitiser at the end of the lesson & wash our hands as soon as possible.
8) Students are welcome to provide their own disposable gloves if they would prefer to wear them.
9) It is my intention to do a Lateral Flow Test regularly (Sundays & Wednesdays) so that I know that I am COVID negative. I recommend that all my students do one within 48 hours prior to their driving lesson.