Learner driver abuse on the up

Driving instructors have been telling Heart learner drivers are being verbally - or even physically - attacked in Oxfordshire, on a daily basis.

We're told motorists have become a lot less patient, especially since all Oxford's minor roads became twenty mile an hour zones.

Oxford instructor Patrick O'Sullivan regularly has to put up with drivers abusing his learners.  He's been telling Heart: "I've had students literally crying in the car and saying 'I can't carry on with the lesson.'  It's that bad.  I have to give them five minutes, try and get them back into it and go again."

Several instructors like Patrick have been telling Heart drivers regularly now roar past learners as those with L-plates try to stick to Oxford's new 20mph limits.  Some drivers also rev their engines or flash their lights at learner drivers who are taking slightly longer to pull out at junctions.

Patrick says: "If I get a situation where someone has been verbally abusive to my student I just generally look around and say 'please, give me time' and then the fingers come up and the abusive language comes out of the car, so it's hard."