Worrying twist in drive school dilemma with a question mark over ‘more than a fifth’ of the industry

Amid a surge of new L-platers in SA, the department responsible for managing the driver trainer industry warns ‘over a fifth’ of it has been the focus of recent disciplinary action.

According to the Transport Department ‘over a fifth’ of the state’s driver industry members have been the subject of disciplinary action. Picture: iStock

Parents need to be aware of dodgy practices in the state’s driving training industry with almost a quarter of operators linked to disciplinary action, according to authorities.

“In recent years, 133 disciplinary actions have been undertaken involving 115 driver industry members,” a Transport Department spokesman said.

“This equates to over a fifth of the industry.”

He refers to examples of “unacceptable behaviour” detailed in last year’s ICAC report into corruption risks in South Australia’s driver training industry.

These include accepting bribes, issuing licences when driving competency hasn’t been demonstrated and engaging in inappropriate behaviour with minors.

But Australian Driver Trainers Association of South Australia (ADTA-SA) president Linda Jackson argues many of the “disciplinary actions” refer to minor administrative-type breaches.

“Some can just be a mistake on the paperwork, (they are not) actions that are detrimental to the public or learner driver … there is nothing corrupt, so to speak, but rather human error,” she said.

“Ithink it is a bit misleading to lump people who may not have correctly filled out a form with those who have been involved in sexual harassment or falsifying passes,” she said.

The industry veteran of 20 years is an advocate for mandatory in-vehicle cameras, saying she has had one for several years.

“I have it there for my safety and my client’s safety as well … the department can request to see it at any time,” she said.

“A lot (of drivers) have concerns about cameras filming all lessons and tests but I believe it would help stamp out a lot of issues.”

Overstretched instructors are struggling to meet demand and months-long wait lists amid a surge of new learner drivers in SA.

The revelations come amid a surge of new learner drivers in South Australia and reports of overstretched instructors struggling to meet demand and months-long wait lists.

Latest statistics provided by the department show in 2022 there are more than 11,000 extra learner drivers on the road compared to three years ago but there are less authorised examiners.

In June this year there were 67,323 learner’s permit holders in SA, up from 56,232 in 2019.

At the same time there are 262 authorised examiners compared to 287 three years ago with the biggest drop-off in numbers of competency-based only (CBTA) assessors, with 16 fewer in 2022.

In SA, examiners can be authorised to undertake CBTA assessments, Vort tests (on road, pass or fail-type driving test) or both.

Ms Jackson, who has dual CBTA and Vort accreditation, said there was a need for more competency-based assessors.

“I get calls daily seeking examiners for CBTA but I say to them there is a few months delay,” she said, adding many people were choosing the Vort path due to these wait times.

According to data shared by the department there has been a 44 per cent increase in Vort assessments since 2017 while CBTA has declined by 23 per cent over the same period.

Professional Driver Training Association (PDTA) SA vice president Matthew Woodman said the issue of having adequate appropriately-accredited assessors had emerged over “seven or eight years”.

“Hardly any driving instructors have been permitted to upgrade skills to become an examiner,” he said.

The department, in a statement, said it was “committed to industry reform” and planned to respond by the end of the year to the ICAC findings.

Meanwhile, several instructors have contacted the Sunday Mail, voicing frustrations over government red tape and the difficulty to upskill or have interstate qualifications recognised.

Ten provisional drivers have been killed on SA roads in 2022 – the highest number in many years. Picture: 7 NEWS

How to make our P-platers safe?

A long-time South Australian driving instructor and assessor believes parents need more guidelines around how many lessons their child will need to become a competent driver.

The president of the Australian Driver Trainers Association of South Australia (ADTA-SA) president Linda Jackson was responding to a question from the Sunday Mail in relation to this year’s tragic high death toll among P-platers.

The death just over a week ago of Izzy Hancock, 18, who died in a single-vehicle crash at Carew, near Bordertown, took the number of provisional drivers killed on SA roads in 2022 to 10 – the highest number in many years.

Izzy Hancock has been remembered as a bright and bubbly girl who was cherished by her loving parents and stepdad. Picture: Supplied by family

“We are not doing a good enough job at educating the public,” she said.

“I think the (Transport) Department has a responsibility to provide more guidelines around how many hours of training (with a qualified instructor) would generally give a good amount of education.

“I believe this information should be included the driving companion given to every learner driver. It would provide parents with a better understanding (of what is required).”

Ms Jackson said it was something she had been calling for, for many years.

She said there were ways calculate the optimum hours of training needed – beyond the required log book 75 hours of supervised driving.