Categories

Related Articles
Home > Small Businesses > Are your pupils fit to be behind the wheel?

Are your pupils fit to be behind the wheel?

A driving school in Derbyshire has equipped its instructors with breathalyser tests in a bid to ensure that their learner drivers are not over the limit. Derby Driving School has bought eight of the £70 tests, which will help them to assess whether pupils are in a fit state to drive.

Along with his business partner, Mark Baker, Malcolm Spencer has run Derby Driving School for the past seven years. He decided to buy the tests over concern that some learner drivers were still affected by alcohol consumed the night before.  He said: "We have some pupils who are considered to be at risk for driving while still under the influence of drinking the previous night."

Prior to every lesson, Derby Driving School’s learner drivers will be asked to take the breathalyser test. The test works by measuring the amount of alcohol in the blood. After students have blown into the device for at least five seconds, a reading is taken. If the result reveals that they have more than 80mg of alcohol in their blood, the pupil’s lesson will not continue. Similarly, if a pupil refuses to take the test, they will also be unable to continue with their lesson.

Mr Spencer believes that the breathalyser tests are educational, as well as functional. He said: “(The breathalysers are) an opportunity to teach the pupils about alcohol and driving because we are not just teaching them to pass their driving test, we are teaching them to drive safely for the rest of their lives. A lot of drivers take their frustrations out on learner drivers, so our pupils have to be taught to deal with that.”
So why not take Derby Driving School’s lead and buy a breathalyser for your instructors? You’ll be able to ensure that your pupils are sober; as well as educating them on the dangers of drink driving.

Source:
BBC

This article is copyright protected and is not for republishing

Search