I am Keith Mansfield. I originally trained as a Driving instructor with BSM, staying franchised with them at the Taunton branch (which is long gone!), for four years. I was also franchised to a small driving school for a couple of years before taking the plunge and going it alone.

1st Young Driver Training was established in 1988 by Brian Young who, after selling the business, worked his way through the ranks of the DSA. I purchased the business in 2006, and have been providing high quality driving instruction and excellent pass rates (1st time pass rate's currently 45% above National average), ever since.

By operating 1st Young Driver Training as a sole trader, I am able to concentrate on making sure that YOU, the customer, are getting only the first class quality, Grade 6 instruction that you DESERVE! (I have no trainees, or lesser qualified Driving Instructors giving Driving Lessons for me).

I offer Driving Lessons in Taunton, Wellington, Bridgwater, outlying villages and areas in between. If you aren't sure if your area's covered, please ask!

Phrases that I hear pupils, who take driving lessons with me having changed from another instructor, use most are:

"I've learned more in two hours with you than I have in all the time I was learning with the other driving instructor".

"I wish I'd rung you first".

"why didn't my last Driving Instructor tell me that"?

"I thought that I would never pass the Driving test, let alone on my first try after changing Driving Instructors"! (this phrase is usually used by pupils who have changed from their previous instructor having had multiple test failures and, have generally arrived at the first lesson with me, using the phrase "You're going to have a job for life teaching me"!) 

"My last Driving instructor didn't show me how to do that".

"I hated roundabouts before; I didn't understand them. That exercise was brilliant, I understand it so much better now"!

"Are you sure I'll be ready if I book the Driving Test now? During all the time I was taking Driving Lessons with the last Driving Instructor, they wouldn't let me book it and just kept saying "Not Yet.""!

"I'm glad you don't use your mobile while I'm driving, I found it really scary when my last Driving instructor answered his phone; it's so rude, I felt they weren't paying attention to me even though I was paying for their time. I wasn't sure they'd notice if anything went wrong and help me; I thought it was illegal to use your mobile phone when giving driving lessons"? (It's illegal to use a handheld mobile phone while supervising a learner driver. Although hands free mobile use while the phone is in a cradle, including bluetooth headsets, are legal, this has been proven in recent research statistics to distract and cause accidents in the same way as a handheld (*even when this use was 10 minutes pior to the crash).

*British Medical journal 2005; 331 (20 Aug) McEvoy and colleagues.

"You're so patient with me! my last driving instructor used to shout at me; I used to get really upset".

"This was never explained to me by my last Driving instructor, I didn't understand because we just.... Did it"!

"I knew I had to do that because the last Driving Instructor told me to, but not why it was important, until you pointed it out".

During a clutch control exercise with a fully qualified malaysian Licence holder (in her own car, a Fiat Cinquecento), she said this:

"How do you know all this stuff, have you worked for the car manufacturers? Because I didn't know my car could do that"!

In addition to driving lessons for both 'L' Tests, I've also provided driving tuition and coaching services for:

• Somerset Road Safety Partnership
• The Institute of Advanced motorists road safety charity (I'm engaged as a 'programme trainer').
• Road Runners road safety charity (sadly, no longer around).
• Motability

I take my career very seriously; I strive to be the best driving instructor available by:

• Constantly updating my skills and methods via 'Continuing Professional Development' (CPD), the most recent of these was a three day, DSA approved course, through Somerset County Council.
• Developing and using innovative ideas and training methods to get the best from my pupils.
• Offering patient, fun and friendly tuition.
• Consulting with industry bodies.
• Reading the latest studies and articles.
• Membership and liason with Road Safety Charities.

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