Driving instructor reveals compilation of impatient drivers and near misses forcing learners to quit

Watch: Shocking dash-cam footage shows impatient motorists dangerously overtaking learners

A despairing driving instructor has released a compilation of dashcam footage showing the impatient drivers and near misses which forced some of his students to quit.

Andy Hardy's dashcam footage shows a series of incidents where drivers are seen nearly causing crashes as they pull out in front of learners.

In one clip, an impatient bus driver can be seen pulling out on a learner at a busy roundabout, forcing them to slam on the brakes.

Another clip shows how during one lesson at night, a reckless driver nearly ploughed into an oncoming vehicle due to aggressively overtaking instead of waiting.

Elsewhere, a white van driver is captured on camera undertaking the learner at speed, only narrowly avoiding a collision, while another motorist is seen pulling out of a parking space directly into the path of the approaching learner, again forcing them to take evasive action.

The footage, filmed in Northumberland, was compiled by driving instructor Hardy, 56, who has been recording the state of poor driving on the UK's roads after seeing an increase in his students being intimidated by other motorists.

Hardy, who runs Andy Hardy Driving School in Choppington, Northumberland, said: “Dangerous driving in the proximity of learners can really have a detrimental effect in more ways than one.

“Many of my students are young people and aggression on the roads can be extremely daunting when added to the stress of learning to drive a vehicle.

“I have posted videos and messages on social media in the past to highlight the issue and to make people aware that it isn’t nice to treat learners in such a way.”

He added: “Other road users are quick to forget that there’s someone in that car that they’re hurling abuse at.

“Some students have anxiety when on the road and this doesn’t help to resolve that – I have lost students who completely gave up on driving due to this aggressive behaviour.”

It comes as a survey found 99% of UK instructors have witnessed abuse directed at their pupils, resulting in one in eight learners quitting.

The survey, conducted by Marmalade Insurance, also found that 59% of instructors felt road rage directed at learners had got worse since the pandemic, while 81% of learner drivers say they have experienced abuse and intimidation from other road users while driving.