Wexford driving instructor discusses challenges faced in business and gives his advice to learners

Driving schools have become commonplace over the last two decades…

With learner drivers needing a mandatory 12 EDT lessons before they can sit their test, business opportunities had arisen.

For Peter Haughton, of Haughton School of Motoring which was only started in 2023, it was the case of when one door closed, another door opened. Luckily, the business he pursued was also his passion and it was something that he was interested in doing too:

“Haughton school of Motoring came to being after my contract with the Road Safety Authority as a Driver Tester was not renewed. I was part of a group of testers whose contracts were not renewed. I had a few options open to me which were returning to driving HGVs, cranes or plant machinery. None of which appealed to me. I had gathered 4 years of experience as a driver tester along with over 20 years of experience driving various vehicle which I thought would go a long way towards enabling me to help people to learn to drive safely,” Peter told Wexford Weekly.

“I started Haughton School of Motoring in June 2023. The concept was born in July 2022 when we learned our contracts were not being renewed. I set about applying for and taking all the relevant tests necessary to become a Driving instructor. I also applied for and was successful in securing the Back to Work enterprise allowance, a scheme which I would highly recommend to anyone looking to start their own business. The scheme gives access to various business mentors and allows you to earn a set amount of money Tax free for your first two years in business. It also gives you a guaranteed income in the form of a social welfare payment for 2 years,” he recommended.

Although Haughton School of Motoring does cater for manual lessons, it’s interesting to note that their main business income now comes from automatic lessons. It shows the rapid change in the automotive market and the thirst to drive automatic cars instead of manual cars. Perhaps this could be due to the Government’s and the EU’s Green policy which tends to promote this.

“In the beginning, I purchased a 2014 Toyota Auris from a dealer in the North of Ireland. I purchased the car blind. I never saw it until it was delivered to me at my sister’s house in Cavan. The car turned out to be absolutely perfect for its intended use. I also borrowed money from my wife in order to purchase a 2007 Automatic Toyota Auris. Strangely and unexpectedly, the automatic accounts for around 80% of my work now.”

Peter always wanted to get into business. The idea of being self-employed appealed to him, but he does highlight the unglamorous side of it too, noting the many challenges that also comes with being self-employed in Ireland.

Yes, I did always want to start some form of business. I like the idea of being self-employed. However, this may have been something i viewed with rose tinted glasses. Being self-employed is not as glamorous as people may think.. The responsibility involved is considerable. A common misconception is that money is plentiful when you are self-employed, but this is far from the truth. I am responsible for everything from admin, to customer service to vehicle maintenance and all while maintaining a very high standard and also finding time for my family,” he told us.

For Peter, of Haughton School of Motoring, his motivation is simple. It’s his business and he needs to earn, but importantly, he loves helping people too:

“My motivation was to ensure I had an income stream first and foremost, but I also love to help people. Learning to drive is quite a daunting experience for anyone. It is a new life skill that we look at others doing everyday so people think that they should just be able to drive! This is not the case! Driving, while it is part of everyday life, is a life skill that needs to be taught correctly. I have always found driving very easy and I have driven all sorts of vehicles from bikes to HGVs and plant machinery of all types. A lot of what I learned was self-taught as I felt embarrassed to ask for help because it was frowned upon to just not know something. I don’t want anyone learning to drive to feel like they can’t ask a question. Questions come from people wanting to understand better and every question deserves and answer,” Peter said.

Entering into the world of business and being self-employed may be a daunting task, but if the passion and interest is there, then Peter would encourage anyone on the fence to just do it. Just like Nike’s famous slogan, it’s all about taking the first leap. In his view, if you never try, you’ll never know:

“Just do it! Its scary, but you never know how well you may do until you try. Some ideas may fail and some may do very well. But until you try you will never know,”

Writing an article about a driving instructor, and not asking him what’s the best advice for learner drivers would be criminal. So, we simply put it to Peter. What’s the best advice for learner drivers that you would give?

“Breathe! Take your time! Listen to the tester’s instructions. Contrary to the beliefs of many, the testers are actually trying to help you with the directions they give. When it comes to your maneovures on test, remember the tester will say ” begin when YOU are ready” Take a breath, think about what you are being asked to do,” he encouraged.

Haughton School of Motoring covers areas across Dublin, Wicklow, and Wexford. For more information, check out Haughton School of Motoring which can be found online.