COVID-19 Safeguarding

To safeguard you, me and my other students while COVID-19 remains a threat it will be necessary to abide by the following additional terms and conditions. These terms and conditions are designed to help reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting the virus while taking driving lessons. Where there is any conflict between my standard terms and conditions of service and those listed below, these take precedence.

1. What are the risks of contracting COVID-19
COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and in some cases death. I will do my best to minimise the risk to you by sanitising those surfaces that you might touch and by ventilating the car whenever possible before each lesson. Due to the fact we will not be able to observe the 2 metre social distancing rule while in the car, and because we will be operating in a confined space used by a number of different people, I am unable to guarantee you will not be infected by COVID-19 during your driving lessons.

2. Accept full responsibility should you or a member of your household become infected
By undertaking driving lessons with me you are agreeing to:-

1. accept full responsibility (except where I am negligent) for any loss, cost or expense you might incur should you contract COVID-19 or pass it on as a result of taking driving lessons with me
2. not take any action against me to recover any such loss, cost or expense.

3. Consider whether you or a member of your household might be particularly vulnerable
If you or any persons you are likely to be in contact with are at risk of having a severe form of the illness as a result of being infected by COVID-19 (e.g. senior citizens, pregnant women and those with underlying medical conditions) please consider very carefully whether you should be taking a course of driving lessons at this point in time.

4. Immediately let me know if you or any members of your household have been exposed to serious risk of contracting COVID-19, tested positive for it, advised to self-isolate or shown symptoms of it.
If you know you may have potentially been in a situation where you or any member of your household may have contracted COVID-19, been tested positive for it, advised to self-isolate (e.g. NHS Test and Trace or equivalent) or shown symptoms (see below) it is vital that you let me know as soon as possible. Please note, I do not need personal details of any individual to whom this may relate.

COVID-19 symptoms include:

1. a high temperature (38C or above)
2. a new, continuous dry cough
3. unexplained loss or change to your (or their) sense of smell or taste

This list is not exhaustive. For the latest information please refer to the Government guidelines or refer to https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/

Without charge to you this will help me to decide whether it will be necessary to postpone any future lessons until it is safe to continue based on the latest Government guidelines. Should I discover you could have given me more notice of this I reserve the right to charge you for any driving lessons postponed.

5. Be prepared to answer truthfully any questions I might ask before any driving lesson about potential COVID-19 exposure or symptoms
I may need to ask you questions about whether you have been in contact with people:

1. who might be infected (e.g. advised to self-isolate) or
2. who might have recently returned from abroad or
3. who you know are definitely infected or
4. who are particularly vulnerable to a severe form of the COVID-19 illness (also see 3 above).

I will also need to ask you about whether you or indeed anyone else in your household have experienced symptoms (see 4 above). In this regard I may need to take your temperature using a non-contact thermometer. Please note I do not need personal details of any individual to whom the above may relate.

Without charge to you, I reserve the right to postpone the lesson if I suspect you may have symptoms consistent with being infected by COVID-19 or have been seriously exposed to it until it is safe to continue based on the latest Government guidelines. Should I discover you could have given me more notice of this information I reserve the right to charge you for any driving lessons postponed as a result.

6. Reciprocal information about me and the need for action regarding points 4 to 5
I will inform you if I suspect I or anyone in my household have:

1. been exposed to a serious risk of contracting COVID-19 or
2. tested positive for COVID-19 or
3. exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 infection or
4. been advised to self-isolate.

If so, I may need to postpone your driving lessons (including attending any driving test) and self-isolate, based on current Government advice, for at least 14 days or indeed longer in the case of a severe infection. In this instance any scheduled lessons would be carried forward until I was in a position to resume training.

7. Wear a face covering or mask during the lesson
The wearing of a face covering or mask is recommended if social distancing is not possible. Therefore, I may require you to wear a face covering or mask during the lesson. Please bring your own face covering or mask, which should be one that you feel comfortable wearing. This must not interfere with your ability to drive safely.

Please notify me at least 48 hours prior to any driving lesson if you do not have a suitable face covering or mask. I may be able to supply a disposable mask or a reusable mask at an additional cost. I reserve the right to postpone the lesson in this situation without charge. However, should insufficient notice be given and you turn up for a lesson without a suitable face covering or mask I also reserve the right to postpone and charge for the lesson.

8. Endeavour to properly wash your hands and face just prior to each lesson
If at all possible, please wash your hands and face thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds immediately prior to attending a driving lesson. I will still require you to sanitise/wash your hands, after fitting a face covering or mask and prior to entering the car, using a suitable product that I will supply for this purpose. If you can not do this for medical reasons you may be required to wear suitable gloves instead. I will also make sure my hands are clean or suitably gloved as the case may be. At certain intervals it may be necessary for you to re-apply hand sanitiser or wash as I direct.

9. Avoid having to bring any extra objects to the driving lesson
Please be mindful not to bring any objects with you that may potentially be a carrier for COVID-19, if at all possible. You can bring your phone with you provided it is switched off and can be kept on your person. Anything that cannot be kept on your person will need to be placed in a plastic bag or container provided by me for this purpose and returned to you at the end of the lesson.

10. Avoid paying in cash
If you do bring cash, make sure it is the precise amount that is needed to pay for the lesson or lessons you want to purchase. I will ask you to drop it into a bag or container that I will keep for this purpose. The best way to pay for my service is to pay via online banking direct into my account. Please consult with me for other options.

11. Car ventilation
It is known that COVID-19 transfer is reduced in open spaces therefore I may ventilate the car by keeping some of the windows open during the lesson. If this is not practical, I will endeavour to ventilate the car between lessons.