Employers

Driving instructors are employed by public high schools and private driving schools. Opportunities are available throughout the United States, but best in areas that have a large population.

Starting Out

As a new instructor, you may be scheduled to assist more experienced instructors before being given your own roster of students. With time and training, you may be given more teaching responsibility, both in the classroom and on the road.

With experience, instructors can advance from teaching high school-level driver education to teaching at other facilities such as state-run driving schools or driving facilities. Some instructors choose to teach a specialized group of students such as the elderly or disabled. Other instructors choose to teach driving techniques for other vehicles including commercial trucks, motorcycles, and race cars.

Some driving instructors may open their own schools. As proprietor, they may hire other instructors to handle class instruction, leaving their time free for the day-to-day tasks of operating a business.

Driving instructors can also advance to administrative or managerial positions at their state's department of motor vehicles or at government vehicle safety agencies.

Join the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association to take advantage of networking and certification opportunities.

Become certified to increase your chances of landing a job. 

Talk with driving instructors about their careers. Ask them for advice on breaking into the field.

Search the Internet for a list of driving schools in your area.