Tumbling standards shock driving teacher

Buy photos » Driving instructor John Cerpnjak said standards on the roads had deteriorated during his 18 month lay off from work. (s)

A DRIVING instructor forced to take 18 months off due to ill health has spoken of his shock at the fall in driving standards after returning to the borough's roads.

Experienced Hillmorton based instructor John Cerpnjak had to stop working in 2010 while he underwent hospital treatment.

And after finally recovering and restarting his driving school late last year, Mr Cerpnjak was amazed on his return at the behaviour of some drivers - particularly towards learners.

Mr Cerpnjak, who has been instructing new drivers for 16 years, described some of the poor conduct he had encountered since restarting teaching.

He said: "So far I have been overtaken in the most inappropriate and dangerous situations, and gesticulation seems to be frequent.

"Tailgating is also frequent despite driving within the speed limit and then being beeped when not quick enough at junctions, roundabouts, traffic lights or even when pulling up at the side of the road.

"I find many drivers do not seem to remember the time they were learners at one time of their life and so have a strange attitude when it comes to driving schools on the road.

"My simple question to any driver is how would you feel if your son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, friend or neighbour returned from a driving lesson and complained of being intimidated while trying to learn the skill you learned once yourself, but seemingly forgot about it."

Mr Cerpnjak, who chairs Rugby Association of Approved Driving Instructors, added he was the only one to notice the decline standards, with fellow members sharing his views.

He said: "Not all drivers are bad, and it would be wrong to insinuate this. However it just seems the standard of driving has deteriorated somewhat in the last year or so and on some roads more than others. There seems to be no difference in the driver’s age or gender or what vehicle they drive."

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