Thirty-four driving instructors have been certified by the Island Traffic Authority (ITA) enabling them to offer their services to the public.

They represent the first batch of instructors to be licensed to teach driving under the Road Traffic Act and Regulations,

Seven received full certification, while the others were awarded provisional certificates, which allows them to operate for a specified period until the full certification requirements are fulfilled.

Deputy general of road traffic at the ITA, Vernal Oliver, commended the driving instructors and urged those who have not attained full certification to take steps to do so.

“Being fully certified by the ITA will open many new opportunities for you. As a certified driving instructor, you will be able to offer driver training not only to individuals [who have] a learner’s permit, but also to those preparing for various licences,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) and head of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB) Gary McKenzie charged the newly certified driving instructors to uphold the standards taught in the driving instructor programme.

“The credibility of this preparation will likely be exemplified in the display of driving that we will see in the future, and it cannot be too soon for us to start to see changes,” he said.