DRS Driving School

Privacy Policy

Effective date: 16 August 2025

This Privacy Policy explains how DRS Driving School (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects and uses your personal information when you visit our website, make an enquiry, or take lessons with us in Manchester.

1) Who we are (Data Controller)

DRS Driving School, Manchester, UK. Contact: contact@drsdrivingschool.co.uk | Phone: +4407900868320

We determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2) Personal data we collect

  • Identity & Contact: name, email, phone number, city/area for pickup.
  • Lesson & Booking: preferred dates/times, course selection, progress notes, mock test outcomes, instructor feedback.
  • Payment: billing details and transaction references from our payment provider (we do not store full card details on our servers).
  • Technical: IP address, device and browser info, pages viewed, and cookies/analytics.
  • In-vehicle data (if used): optional dashcam footage facing the road and telematics relating to the vehicle and lesson route.

3) Our lawful bases for processing

  • Contract: to arrange lessons, manage bookings, provide instruction, and take payment.
  • Legitimate interests: to improve our services, handle enquiries, prevent misuse or fraud, and maintain safety and quality standards.
  • Legal obligation: to comply with laws and respond to lawful requests.
  • Consent: for optional marketing communications and any non-essential cookies.

4) How we use your information

  • Responding to enquiries and providing quotes.
  • Scheduling and delivering lessons, tracking progress, and preparing for tests.
  • Taking and reconciling payments, issuing invoices and receipts.
  • Improving our site and services through analytics and feedback.
  • Sending service messages such as booking confirmations or policy updates.
  • Marketing updates where you have opted in, with an easy opt-out in every message.

5) Sharing your data

We share personal data only with trusted providers who help us run our business, for example:

  • Payment processing (e.g., Stripe or a similar FCA-regulated provider).
  • Scheduling and communications tools (email, SMS, calendar, website hosting).
  • Professional advisers and insurers where necessary for safety, complaints, or legal matters.

We require all such providers to protect your data and use it only as instructed by us. We do not sell your personal data.

6) Dashcams, recordings and tests

  • Some instructors may use a forward-facing dashcam for safety and training review. Audio is generally disabled. We will let you know where a dashcam is in use and seek consent if required.
  • Recording the conduct of a practical driving test is restricted by the DVSA and must follow official rules. We do not publish identifiable footage without lawful basis or consent.

For official guidance on filming tests and privacy expectations, please see GOV.UK and DVSA resources.

7) How long we keep your data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, including for accounting, insurance and legal requirements. Typical retention is:

  • Lesson records and booking information: up to 6 years.
  • Payment records: up to 6 years for tax and accounting.
  • Dashcam safety footage (if used): short rolling periods unless an incident is logged.
  • Marketing preferences: until you opt out or we delete inactive contacts.

8) Cookies and analytics

We use essential cookies to make the site work and may use analytics cookies to understand site usage. Where required, we seek consent for non-essential cookies. You can manage preferences in your browser or via our cookie banner.

9) Your rights under UK GDPR

  • Access your data and receive a copy.
  • Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Erase data in certain circumstances.
  • Restrict or object to processing in certain cases.
  • Data portability where applicable.
  • Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent.

To exercise these rights, contact contact@drsdrivingschool.co.uk. If we cannot resolve your concern, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

10) Security

We use industry-standard safeguards and limit access to those who need it. While no system is perfectly secure, we take reasonable steps to protect your data during transmission and storage.

11) International transfers

Where our service providers are outside the UK, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as UK International Data Transfer Agreements or other lawful mechanisms.

12) Children

We provide lessons primarily to individuals aged 17 and over. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian should consent to your booking and communications.

Key Terms of Service Highlights

These operational terms are provided here for clarity and should be read alongside our full Terms of Service.

  • Student responsibility in case of accident: You must follow your instructor’s directions and drive only when instructed. Liability for fines, penalties or damages caused by reckless or unauthorised actions remains with the student. Our vehicles are insured for tuition, but deliberate or negligent misuse may lead to charges not covered by insurance.
  • No refunds for failing to show up: Missed lessons without the required notice are charged in full. Please see booking confirmations for the current notice period (typically 48 hours).
  • Intensive courses: Payment is taken upfront to secure instructor time and availability. Cancellations after confirmation may be subject to partial or no refund depending on notice and costs incurred.
  • Test bookings: DVSA test fees and availability are outside our control. We are not responsible for DVSA cancellations or delays, but we will help you re-arrange where possible.

13) Changes to this notice

We may update this Policy to reflect changes in law or our operations. We will post any updates on this page and adjust the effective date above.

14) Contact us

If you have questions about this Policy or your data rights, contact contact@drsdrivingschool.co.uk.