Bill Lavender

I work full time for the London Ambulance Service as a driving tutor.

I continue to write for Intelligent Instructor magazine and publish industry related books in the “How to Become” career series, including "How to become an Emergency Response Driver". The book includes chapters on: driver responsibility; vehicle daily inspections; pre-driving checks; vehicle operating and safety systems; navigating directions - global satellite positioning and the road atlas; driving plans; handling skills; planning ahead and handling the vehicle; road traffic law – legal exemptions and non-exemptions and driving on blues and twos (visual and audible warnings). This book is now in its 5th edition.

"How to become a driving instructor" is now into its 2nd Edition. The original book was based on my thirty plus years’ experience in the driver training industry. It now includes advice for ADIs taking their Standards Check. It continues to provide a positive, but honest and realistic approach to this profession, offering some ideas for qualified instructors on how to diversify by entering the qualified driver training market.

For more than twelve years I wrote the “Better Training” features in adiNEWS magazine. I now write a monthly feature – “Teaching Targets” for the new industry magazine “Intelligent Instructor”.

I became an Approved Driving Instructor in 1982 and spent most of my career at the British School of Motoring (BSM) in various senior training and development roles. I was responsible for the company’s learning resources, including retail products for learner drivers. I also set up National Vocation Qualifications (NVQ) and BTEC awards within the BSM business.

Time permitting, I also specialise in Continuing Professional Development for Approved Driving Instructor’s (ADI) and Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (dCPC) for professional bus and lorry drivers.