Dear students and associates,
On March 8th, 2027 my Driving Instruction Authority will expire, and I will not be renewing it!
This means that from March 9th, 2027 I will no longer be able to provide any on-road paid practical driving lessons.
For any current or prospective students reading this, we will discuss together how we may achieve your driving goals in this timeframe.
If you wish to find out why I’m making this decision after 11 years, please read on…
A Broken Driving Instructor System
I’ve had my Driving Instruction Authority (provided by Safe Transport Victoria) for more than 10 years!
In those 10 years I have only had to pay the fee to keep the authority, which is around $600 AUD for 3 years. Not once have I been checked up on in regard to how I’m providing a service under this authority.
This means that there are plenty of driving instructors out there doing whatever they want and not really working towards any kind of system, best practices or high standards.
I hear this everyday as I get new student drivers coming from other driving instructors and some of the stories they tell me are shocking!
Licencing Could Be Better
The VicRoads drive test criteria in Victoria, Australia could ask more of a driver to ensure they are prepared for a lifetime of driving.
For example, here the pre-drive check asks the driver to point to various buttons in the vehicle like the front and rear window demisters, but never asks what is their purpose or how to actually operate them?
Because of this, it is possible for a driver to get a license without understanding how or when to use these controls.
In comparison, the UK drive test criteria has “show me, tell me” vehicle safety questions.
Such as, “Tell me how you switch your headlight from dipped to main beam and explain how you’d know the main beam is on” OR “When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you’d open and close the side window?”
Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/car-show-me-tell-me-vehicle-safety-questions/car-show-me-tell-me-vehicle-safety-questions
Furthermore, the UK drive test includes emergency braking and following a GPS route; aspects absent from the VicRoads drive test criteria.
I could speak at length on limited testing in this state, but this final one particularly makes zero sense to me… when a driver is 21 years of age and over, they do not require any mandatory hours of supervised driving, they could drive 5 to 10 hours around the testing area and get their solo drivers licence.
So, drivers might ONLY learn in a place like Carlton, Victoria where most speed limits are 40 km/h, get their solo drivers licence and the next day they can enter a freeway at 100 km/h without any prior training or supervision!
Road Rules – Nonsense & Misunderstanding
From lower speed limits that don’t suit the conditions, to stop signs that are completely unnecessary, to road markings that no one obeys, to a roundabout rule that road users still can’t comprehend!
Road rules are a mess and constrict my ability to teach people to drive appropriately and safely.
There are so many skills to teach a driver but of course they must abide by the road rules.
However, I’m sure we can all relate that the black and white rules do not always line up to the greyness and realities we experience on the road.
Stop signs have to be my worst enemy as we learn low risk driving – slowing down to a safe speed to assess if it’s safe to go – however there are some stop signs where visibility is clear and it is safe and practical to proceed but, legally we have to completely stop.
Unnecessary stop signs are a waste of time and energy.
Speed limits are another big problem, as most road users are not obeying them! Because of this we get tailgated and abused every single day!
One of the worst parts of the speed limit rule is the speed limit applying from the beginning of the sign as almost every road user will speed up before the sign if there is a higher speed change.
Can we do that? No! And so the abuse and tailgating continues…
We obey road rules all day while practically everyone around us doesn’t…
We Are Disrespected & Abused!
There are some nice road users out there but they don’t come often. As highlighted above, we are often disrespected and abused.
We get tailgated for obeying the speed limit, aggressively and illegally overtaken, looked at with disgust, yelled at, horns blaring at us, the list goes on.
Driving instructors are teaching students to share the road, we the general public know the importance of this, yet so many out there are not respecting one another and not sharing the road.
Why would any driver continue to hold that respect if they are constantly disrespected?
On top of that, I see this disrespect by my own family and friends with how they drive…
In Summary
Nothing is changing in terms of better roads, better road users, etc.
Road users are selfish and in a constant rush to get ahead.
The government seem to just want to keep reducing speed limits and control us.
There is a massive knowledge gap and lack of understanding between all road users.
Our roads are in terrible conditions.
Poor behaviours & attitudes remains the biggest problem.
Victoria Police are never around.
Accountability seems to never be held.
All I want is to teach people how to actually drive, beyond the test, for life! But I feel I can’t do that and I’m continually met at a crossroads where I love but dislike this role.
I’m sorry to everyone but I just can’t do this anymore! I will still be in the industry working with various companies facilitating road safety programs and delivering my advanced driver course.
I will continue to provide FREE practical driver training in Carlton when possible.
But, I cannot continue to be on public roads with driving lessons everyday!
Sincerely,
Courtenay Rufus
Director and Driving Educator
CRUDE Ultimate Driving Education
Thanks for reading this blog post! 🙂
Read the previous blog post: 2025 – Let’s Look Back On An interesting year…