Driving Instructor Sexual Misconduct Reports Increase 64% Over Five Years
Reports of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior by driving instructors toward their students have been steadily increasing year after year, according to exclusive data obtained by Metro. Through a Freedom of Information request, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) disclosed that it logged and investigated 136 complaints of inappropriate sexual behavior by driving instructors in 2024. This number rose to 164 complaints in 2025, continuing an upward trend from 131 complaints in 2023 and 100 in 2020. This represents a staggering 64% increase in reports over just five years.
Lucy's Story: "He Stole My Innocence"
Lucy Hepworth was only 17 years old when she believes she was groomed by her driving instructor, Faraz Hussain, who was later convicted of sexually assaulting two other students. Now 20, Lucy began lessons with Hussain in August 2023 in Fife. She recalls how he would discuss personal matters and made her feel "special," asking questions like "How come you don't have a boyfriend?" which led her to develop a crush on him.
During one lesson, Hussain asked Lucy to guess what he had purchased from a shop, prompting her to mention Viagra. He then made her describe what Viagra does, telling her she knew "everything about sex" and that she was "on heat." The situation escalated after Lucy's 18th birthday, when he pressured her to kiss him, saying, "you've never kissed anyone, just kiss me, because I want you to know what it feels like." Despite initially refusing due to his marital status, Lucy eventually agreed to meet him at a park where he again asked for a kiss.
The pair entered what Lucy believed was a relationship, during which he repeatedly asked her to perform oral sex on him. Lucy describes these acts as consensual but notes that he threatened to cut off contact if she ever told anyone. After leaving for university, Lucy ended the relationship and confided in friends who suggested she had been groomed. "He'd taken advantage of me because I was naïve," she says. "I feel like I lost my innocence, because he just took all those things from me. It was horrible."
After reporting Hussain to the DVSA on Boxing Day 2023, Lucy learned from her new driving instructor that Hussain had been convicted of sexually assaulting two other students. According to The Courier, he targeted a 19-year-old at a driving test center in Kirkcaldy in February 2023, assaulting her in his BMW after she passed her test. He also assaulted another student the previous year by asking if she would have sex with him and touching her without consent. Hussain was ordered to pay each victim £500 and was placed on the sex offenders register for five years, and he is no longer listed as a DVSA-approved driving instructor.
Campaign for Legal Reforms
Phoebe Horrocks and Morgane Chapman, founders of Drive Change, are campaigning alongside FearFree's Emergency Stop campaign to include driving instructors as individuals in positions of trust under the Sexual Offences Act. Both women were sexually assaulted by their driving instructor, Michael Florek, who was found guilty of assaulting five pupils between 2016 and 2021. Currently, teachers, sports coaches, and religious figures are deemed to be in positions of trust due to their involvement in young people's development, but driving instructors are not included. If this change were made, any sexual activity with a 16 or 17-year-old pupil would become illegal, even if consensual.
Additional Victim Accounts
Emily*, 32, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared that her driving instructor would tap her on the thigh when she made mistakes and made comments about her appearance, such as saying her thighs looked "muscly." She found the behavior "weird" but felt unable to quit because she had prepaid for 10 lessons. After completing the lessons, she feared reporting him due to his knowledge of her personal details, including her address and work schedule.
Katy Tomkins, 27, specifically chose a driving instructor who advertised lessons for vulnerable people, including those with autism and dyspraxia. However, she recalls him touching her arm and making sexual innuendos during lessons. After receiving a text from him suggesting they "do something nice like have some ice creams on the beach. Or something else," Katy felt uneasy and confided in colleagues and her mother, who urged her not to continue lessons. She has not driven since, expressing frustration that "he was taking advantage of the fact people could be more vulnerable."
Rising Awareness and Reporting
Debbie Beadle, CEO of FearFree, notes that the increase in reports is not necessarily due to more incidents occurring but rather to greater awareness and willingness among women to speak out. "We're seeing more awareness around sexual harassment and abuse," she says. "However, we believe DVSA figures are the tip of the iceberg. Cases go unreported due to significant barriers including the power imbalance between a pupil and instructor, and the complexity of the current complaints procedure."
Beadle emphasizes that while most driving instructors provide safe learning experiences, the current legal loophole makes it easy for those with harmful intentions to target vulnerable learner drivers. Instructors often have access to personal details like phone numbers and home addresses, creating an environment where exploitation can occur.
How to Choose a Safe Driving Instructor
Kev and Tracey Field from Confident Drivers recommend three essential steps for selecting a genuine, registered driving instructor:
- Check the DVSA website: Verify that the instructor is on the official register, as some may opt out.
- Contact and chat with the instructor: Avoid relying solely on text messages and ask about their grade, which legitimate instructors will know if they have completed official qualifications.
- Look for proper identification: Registered instructors must display either a green badge (fully qualified) or pink badge (trainee licence) to charge for lessons. If no badge is visible, check the DVSA register to confirm their authenticity.
Since safeguarding is not a mandatory part of driving instructor training, it is crucial to keep records of any inappropriate behavior. "The DVSA website offers advice and information on instructor behavior, and you can complain about a driving instructor," says Kev. "Keep any evidence such as receipts, screenshots of messages and emails. The DVSA will not make you report the incident to the police unless you want to."
DVSA Response
In response to Metro's findings, a DVSA spokesperson stated: "Sexually inappropriate behaviour committed by driving instructors is unacceptable. The safety of learner drivers is our priority and DVSA treats complaints extremely seriously." They added that approved drivers must pass pre-registration checks and adhere to a strict code of practice once registered. "Learner drivers should also report all incidents of sexual abuse to the police," they said. "DVSA keeps its approach under review to ensure the ongoing safeguarding of all learner drivers."
