Fed-up driving instructor, 56, compiles dash-cam footage of motorists cutting up his students while getting lessons

• Driving instructor Andy Hardy has compiled a video of aggressive motorists
• He said some of his students are quitting because of the hostility they face 
• The footage shows how he is constantly cut up and tailgated by other cars
• He said he released the compilation to shame some of the worst examples

A driving instructor has shared dash-cam footage showing a string of shocking near-misses after revealing learners are quitting lessons in droves due to road rage abuse.

Andy Hardy, 56, 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.

The frustrated driving instructor said he released a compilation of clips to shame the worst examples and highlight the issue after it emerged last week learners are now quitting in record numbers.

The six-minute video footage shows his pupils being dangerously overtaken, tailgated and cut-up at roundabouts in Northumberland.

Andy Hardy, 56, from Northumberland 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

He has released footage of motorists who have overtaken his learners in an inappropriate fashion 

Also included is this bus who pulls directly in front of his client forcing them to slam on the brakes

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.

Elsewhere, a white van driver is captured on camera undertaking Mr Hardy’s car at speed narrowly avoiding a collision.

A red Range Rover is also seen tailgating a learner driver and getting within inches from their back bumper while driving down a village road.

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.

The final incident shows a motorist pulling out of a parking space directly into the path of the approaching learner, again forcing them to take evasive action.

The former military officer, who runs Andy Hardy Driving School in Choppington, Northumberland, has been an instructor for six years.

He 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.

Other incidents involve drivers jumping red lights on roadworks to pull ahead of the learner

This van drives on the wrong side of a traffic island to pass out the student

‘All this receives is comments from trolls who do nothing but post their opinions about how we shouldn’t be on the road in the first place forgetting they were once in that position.’

‘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.

‘Driving schools need more protection and so do the pupils, threats from members of the public on a daily basis wouldn’t be acceptable in any other learning environment, so why is it on the roads?’

Mr Hardy trained to become a driving instructor in July 2016 with a national school and became a DVSA approved Fleet Driver Trainer in August 2018.

In September 2019 he left the national driving school to become and independent instructor.

A petition for stiffer penalties for road rage drivers started by learner driver insurers, Marmalade, is now approaching 11,000 signatures.

A survey found 99 per cent of UK instructors have witnessed abuse directed at their pupils, resulting in one in eight learners quitting.

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