Victims Push for Stricter Driving Instructor Rules

0:00On March 5, two women in their late teens were sexually assaulted by the same driving instructor in Gloucestershire and now they're leading a push for stricter rules on the profession. Michael Florick was convicted of attacking five young pupils between 2016 and 2021 before he took his own life. Phoebe Horricks and Morgane Chapman, who didn't know each other at the time, reported him years later and testified in court, leading to his suspended, sentence and a 10-year ban from teaching. The victims won driving instructors classified as positions of trust under the Sex Offences Act, just like teachers or coaches. That change would make any sexual activity with 16 or 17-year-old pupils illegal, even if consensual. They've weighed their anonymity to back the emergency stop petition from Wiltshire Charity, fear-free, which argues kids deserve classroom level. Protection, in cars, reactions have been strong from all sides. The driver and vehicle standards agency calls such behavior unacceptable and says it's reviewing its approach.

1:01The Driving Instructors Association, with 10,000 members, isn't opposed to the trust status but notes it already treats relationships with. Under 18s as exploitation, some instructors, like one in Wiltshire, fully supported citing stories they've heard. The government updated position of trust laws in 2022 to include sports coaches and faith leaders but left out driving instructors, balancing youth protection with rights of 16-year-olds. Instructors already need criminal record checks and must follow a code of practice and groups are lobbying for mandatory safeguarding training. These women's campaign has helped them reclaim their stories and sparked real momentum with the petition gaining traction to protect future learners from similar risks.