It’s a new year and we took a SWOT at training school businesses!

A new year is a good time to take a hard, constructive look at your business. In the first Motormouth of 2026, we used a SWOT analysis to explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing driver and rider training schools.

Crucially, the discussion came as the Government launched its new Road Safety Strategy, with proposals that could fundamentally change how people learn to drive and ride in the UK. We looked at what these plans could mean for training provision, testing, licensing, and the future shape of driving and riding schools.

The session featured Carly Brookfield, DIA CEO, Graham Hooper, Head of Driver Training Development, and Mark Jaffe, Diamond Chief Motorcycle Examiner, who shared insights on what businesses need to consider in the short, medium and longer term, and what a more joined-up strategy for UK driver and rider education should look like.

This end-of-year session looks back at everything 2025 threw our way and takes a light-hearted look at what might be coming in 2026. We reflect on the moments that stood out, the changes that challenged us, and the trends that shaped the driver and rider training world over the past twelve months.

The session also explores a few hopes and predictions for the year ahead, ranging from the sensible to the slightly wild, as we reset and prepare for what 2026 may bring.

To finish, we round things off with The Big Fat Driver & Rider Training Quiz — a festive, relaxed way to sign off the year, test your knowledge, and enjoy a bit of fun with colleagues.

Thinking about becoming a driving instructor – or already supporting PDIs through their training? Then this episode is essential listening.

In this eye-opening edition of Motormouth, we go beyond the sales pitch to uncover the reality of PDI and ADI training in the UK. Because not all training is created equal – some is outstanding, some is poor, and far too much is simply average.

Hosted by Graham Hooper, Head of Driver Training Development at the DIA, this panel discussion brings together some of the most experienced and respected voices in the industry:

• Kathy Higgins – Owner of a multi-car driving school, NDORS Training Quality Monitor, and Secretary of the Institute of Master Tutors of Driving (IMTD)
• Andrew Love – Head Trainer at Let’s Instruct Driving Instructor Academy and experienced ORDIT-registered ADI Trainer
• Mirza Taufiq Baig – Founder of Smile School of Motoring, CPD specialist, and Grade A (51/51) ADI
• Graham Hooper – DIA lead trainer and ADI development expert

They tackle the questions many don’t want to answer:

• Who is really training you – and are they qualified to do so?
• What should proper instructor training include – and what’s missing from many courses?
• Are you buying a job, or building a business?
• And what’s hidden in that contract you’re about to sign?

Whether you’re just starting out or mentoring future instructors, this honest and insightful discussion could save you time, money – and a lot of unnecessary frustration.

Diversity and inclusion shouldn’t be a “special topic” in our profession – it should be embedded in the very fabric of driver and rider training.

Yet many voices remain underrepresented, and barriers still exist for both trainers and pupils from marginalised groups.

In this powerful and honest discussion, our panel explores the realities of working in an industry that hasn’t always reflected the diverse communities it serves. From challenges with representation and recruitment to bias in training and career progression, this episode lifts the lid on issues that have long been overlooked.

Featuring:

• Kenny Lawrence – Founder, KL Driver Training
• Samia Rashid – Founder, Evolve Driver Training
• Tommy Sandhu – Director, Smart Learner Driving School
• Carly Brookfield – CEO, DIA
• Graham Hooper – Head of Driver Training Development, DIATogether, they share candid insights, personal experiences, and practical ideas for building a more inclusive and equitable profession, without tokenism, without division, and without compromising on standards or quality.

We also hear from trainers working on the ground, who describe the very real challenges faced by those entering the industry: language barriers, cultural bias, lack of support, and a widespread call for meaningful change. From DVSA recruitment to equality training and a better understanding of the lived experiences of both pupils and instructors, this episode highlights the urgent need for action.

Whether you’re a trainer, PDI, examiner, or someone working to make the industry more inclusive, this episode offers a vital starting point for progress.

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“If we want inclusivity, we also want it to be about somebody being there because they’re a recognised expert in training, not tokenism.”
— Carly Brookfield

Legendarily loquacious DIA CEO Carly, and our new Head of Driver Training Development, Graham Hooper (known equally for his frank and forthright views), will be your hosts.

This month they’ll be joined by Former DVSA Assistant chief Driving Examiner for ADI Policy Chris Howes, who’ll share his insights from his time inside the agency—being no stranger to the challenges and issues it faces in delivering testing!

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Chris Howes - Former DVSA Assistant chief Driving Examiner for ADI Policy
Chris is a former respected Driving Test and ADI Examiner Trainer. Before his recent retirement, Chris was DVSA Assistant chief Driving Examiner for ADI Policy, and had been the Supervising Staff Instructor responsible for managing all Driving Examiner training. Chris brings a wealth of insider insight into the inner workings of DVSA.

Carly Brookfield - Chief Executive, DIA
Carly is the legendarily loquacious CEO of the DIA, known for her sharp insights and fearless advocacy for driver and rider trainers. With a background in leading membership organisations across multiple sectors, she brings strategic vision and strong industry voice to the table—never afraid to ask tough questions or challenge the norm.

Graham Hooper - Head of Driver Training Development, DIA
Graham has worked in driver education since 1995 and is known for his coaching-led, customer-focused approach to training. An ORDIT-registered trainer with extensive qualifications in coaching and instruction, he has trained hundreds of ADIs and PDIs across the UK. At the DIA, Graham leads the development and delivery of practical, behaviour-focused training to support the driver training profession and improve road safety. With a deep commitment to CPD, Graham’s work continues to shape the future of high-quality instruction in our industry.

In this Election Special episode, DIA CEO Carly, regular panellist and ADI Chris Bensted and special guests (including an ADI running as a candidate himself!) will be discussing what should be in any political party’s manifesto when it comes to developing driver and rider training and testing in the UK.

In the DIA Manifesto Survey we’ve been running over the last few weeks, we’ve been asking members for their insights on what any new government should consider in terms of developing policy, strategy, and legislation in respect of driver and rider training, testing, and licensing in the UK.

Our loquacious, and experienced lobbyist herself, DIA CEO Carly will be joined by regular panellist Chris Bensted (an equally passionate voice for promoting positive change in driver training). Giving us the viewpoint from the Rider Training side we have respected rider trainer, wider rider education and safety campaigner (and our very own Chief Motorcycle Examiner) Mark Jaffe.

Plus, we’ve also invited along some other special guests, never shy of expressing their views when it comes to what should change in driver and rider training, testing and licensing in the UK. Arguably a widely respected ‘statesman’ of the driver training industry, we’re thrilled to have Vice Chair of MSA (and current NASP Chair) Peter Harvey MBE with us on this episode. And we’ll also be hearing the thoughts of an ADI who’s actually running as a candidate in this election!

Motormouth is back and we're kicking off with a suitably big topic, exploring how we train and develop PDIs. DVSA reported recently that there had been a 100% increase in new licence applications, and that over 4,000 new trainees had started their journey to becoming an ADI. With such an influx of new entrants, it’s more important than ever that we develop potential new instructors in the right way. .

Join CEO Carly Brookfield and experienced ADI trainers Chris Bensted (Better ADIs) and Laura Harris (Go Green) as they discuss the following key questions and challenges in developing the next wave of driver trainer:

• What would make ORDIT a more effective register of quality and qualified trainers (and what would also make it something more trainers aspire to join)?
• What makes a good ADI Trainer?
• What’s the good, bad and ugly about the training PDIs are getting now?
• How do we spread good practice across the industry?
• What are the big challenges for PDIs right now and how can we help navigate around them?

Join DIA CEO Carly Brookfield, respected Transport Psychologist Dr Shaun Helman and regular panellist Chris Bensted to debate whether restricting new driver licences is the right road to take.

Amendments being considered to the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act could open the door to new drivers having their licenses restricted, including being banned from carrying passengers in the first 6 months of driving independently.

And although Government says it has no immediate plans to introduce such restrictions, a debate was held in the House of Commons just a few weeks ago on the subject, led by Transport Minister Richard Holden.

Whilst road safety campaigners will point to the merits of graduated licensing schemes, and where they have been 'successfully' implemented elsewhere in the world, there are still challenges about how effective these measures have been in practice, and concerns about the impact such restrictions may have on the mobility and employability of young people.

Pragmatists also highlight challenges such as how any restrictions will be realistically policed when we can't even stop some from driving without licences and insurance.