What’s Driving Us Course (WDU)

Christmas opening times: our team will be unavailable from Christmas Day to New Year's Day. We are available again from 2 January 2024 for any enquiries.

To attend this course you must have received a letter from the police.

The course is an alternative to a Fixed Penalty Notice and is designed for clients referred for reasons such as:

  • offences relating to driving without due care and attention, control or consideration
  • tailgating
  • traffic light offences
  • crossing a solid white line
  • stopping, overtaking or failing to give precedence in zebra/puffin/pelican areas
  • stopping at school gates
  • contravening a no-entry sign.

The What's Driving Us Course is a 3 hour course (with a short break) which teaches attendees to be aware and understand the:

  • causes and negative consequences of risky and inconsiderate driving
  • importance of concentration, observation, anticipation and allowing adequate space and time
  • reasons why their own driving may be unsafe or inconsiderate.

The majority of our courses will continue to be delivered online using the digital platform Zoom, but we are now also able to offer physical classroom courses. You can find any available spaces for your course by booking online and selecting physical course.

Please note the course spaces are still limited and will be solely based on client demand. If you wish to book a space please register via the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme website.

If there are no spaces showing or you are unable to book in this way, email KDE@kent.gov.uk or call us on 03000 41 15 54 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm) and provide the following:

  • your full name
  • contact number
  • course type (NSAC, NMAC,WDU,SCD)
  • the date you MUST complete your course by.

We will contact you directly to discuss if we are able to book you onto a course. We are currently delivering courses from either Maidstone or Ashford areas but are looking to open further venues in the next 3 to 6 months.

Course trainers

The course trainers have professional training backgrounds and follow national guidelines. The police do not participate in the course.

Course restrictions

You can attend only one What's Driving Us course in 3 years. Any further offending will be dealt with by prosecution.

For further information or to take this course outside of Kent, visit the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme website.

If you have a provisional licence

If you are a provisional licence holder, you must make us aware at the time of booking so that special arrangements can be made.

If you have a non-European driving licence

You must bring and produce your licence and any other appropriate documents showing proof of entry into the UK. You show your ID by simply holding it up to the camera when the trainer asks during the individual registration process.

Before booking your course

Before booking your course you must

For information about how we use and share your personal information for the purpose of booking a driver education course, read our privacy statement.

Before attending the What's Driving Us course you must read the medical fitness advice from GOV.UK. Make sure the DVLA are kept up to date.

Cost of the course

The course costs £92 (courses starting on or after 1 January 2025 will cost £98). This is non-refundable.

When booking your course please make sure you have the means to pay. You may book online and pay by debit or credit card.

Book your course

To book your course in Kent, you will need to register on the NDORS website and choose Kent County Council as your course provider. Once registered, you will be taken through the rest of the booking process. To do this you will need your:

  • offer letter from the police – which includes the reference number and PIN
  • driver's licence number
  • credit/ debit card to pay for your course

Register with NDORS

Change your booking

If you'd like to change an existing course booking, you must have your:

  • driver's licence number
  • booking reference number starting KDE
  • credit/ debit card where payment is required.

If you do not know your licence number, you can check it through GOV.UK licence detail viewing service.

14 or more days before your course

If you require subtitles to be added to the course presentation, request this by emailing KDE@kent.gov.uk.

7 or more days before your course

If you booked online and need to change your booking, you can do so up to 7 days before the date of the original course free of charge (based on the availability of course spaces).

3 to 6 days before your course

If you need to rebook your course between 3 and 6 days prior to your course date, you will incur a lost course place fee.

2 days before your course

If we assisted you with your booking or you need to change your course up to 2 days before your course, you will need to call us on 03000 41 15 54. You will incur a charge of £43. This fee will increase for all clients attending a course on or after 1 January 2025.

Only in exceptional circumstances will this fee be waived, and we must receive documentary evidence as shown in the terms and conditions that you agreed to when booking the course.

Change your booking

Before attending a classroom course

Before attending the classroom course at a venue you must:

  • arrive promptly to allow time to register
    (plan your route and allow plenty of time for your journey)
  • bring valid photographic identification
  • attend for the whole time.

Not meeting these conditions will result in your exclusion from the course.

If we can offer you a new date, you'll need to pay a rebooking fee. If not, your case will be returned to the police.

If you have any concerns about being able to attend and complete your course, need advice if attending whilst breastfeeding or have any other mobility or health conditions that may require a reasonable adjustment, please speak to the call advisers or email KDE@kent.gov.uk and we will contact you directly to discuss the options available to you.

Before attending an online event using Zoom

Before attending the online course you must:

  • make sure that you are able to use Zoom
    (we suggest you test it with another person first)
  • review the video sent to you in your documentation
  • prepare yourself for the course and resolve any technical issues in advance.

Failure to follow this process may result in not being able to attend the course on the day and may also require a rebooking fee.

Watch our getting ready for online road safety course video for further advice and guidance.

Please refer to the terms and conditions that you agreed to when booking the course.

Attending your online course

Before attending the course, you will be sent the meeting ID, passcode and link for the course. This email will be sent to you 72 hours in advance of your course.

You can access the Zoom meeting details no earlier than 72 hours before the start of your course time and date by logging back into your account via the DORS website where you originally registered to attend a course.

If you have not received your email please check your spam or junk folders. If you still cannot find the email you must contact us on the last working day prior to your course. You can email KDE@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 41 15 54.

When attending the online course you must:

  • make sure that you are in a quiet room, where you will not be interrupted
  • not be in a moving vehicle, you will not be permitted to participate if you are
  • have a fully charged electronic device with an inbuilt camera and speakers or a device with a webcam and speakers.
  • have a stable internet connection for the course duration. If you require any assistance to set up your course, they must leave when the course starts
  • have paper and pen ready to make notes during the course
  • turn on both your audio and video before you start the meeting and ensure that you have tested they both work
  • be in a room on your own and not in a public area, with no background images or effects (such as blurring) used.

If you fail to log on in time, or are late back from your break this will result in no admittance to the course.

The addresses provided match those held by Royal Mail.

  • Innovation Centre Medway, Maidstone Road, Chatham, Kent, ME5 9FD
  • Singleton Environment Centre, Wesley School Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 5LW
  • Holiday Inn, London Road, Wrotham Heath, Sevenoaks TN15 7RS.

Lateness

Make sure you arrive on time. If you arrive late you will not be able to join the course.

This could mean you have to rebook, or your case being returned to the police.