Would you like to learn how to drive and be safe in the streets with a queer-friendly instructor? Look no further than Top Cat Driving Academy!

Let’s face it, learning how to drive can be a pretty daunting experience. Having someone you can trust and feel safe with as you learn all the necessary skills will make all the difference.

Enter Laura Broxson, the proud owner of Top Cat Driving Academy and a self-described “vegan, socialist, activist, crazy cat lady, out and proud lesbian”. A member of the Professional Driving Instructors Association, Laura has been an RSA Approved Driving Instructor since 2018.

Teaching in an automatic, dual-control, Nissan Leaf, she provides driving lessons, including EDT, pre-test and motorway, in the areas of Finglas, Charlestown, Raheny, Killester, Mulhuddart and Ballycoolin. Moreover, she offers one-on-one Zoom classes for theory test preparation.

“I aim to make every lesson both an educational and positive experience,” Laura says. “Learning to drive shouldn’t be scary, and my goal is to make every client a calm, confident and safe driver for life.”

On her website, she states clearly that her academy has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination. “Everyone is welcome to book lessons with me, my car is a ‘safe space’ for everyone to be themselves,” she says.

“I treat everyone equally, and I can also easily adapt lessons to suit various levels of English language skill, as well as tailored lessons to suit those who are neurotypical or neurodivergent.”

Speaking to all the queer people out there wishing to learn how to drive, Laura adds: “I would have loved an LGBTQ+ driving instructor when I was learning to drive, it would have made me feel more comfortable at the time.

“Being stuck in a car with someone you don’t know for 1 or 2 hours at a time can be unnerving enough as it is for learner drivers, so I’d like to make sure that my clients can at least relax knowing I fully accept and celebrate who they are!”

“It’s also a given that I’ll always respect and use their pronouns and chosen names correctly – even if their learner permit might currently list them differently,” Laura assures.

Prices are €50 per hour, and you can book 1 or 2-hour lessons depending on what suits your needs. For €25, you can get a 30-minute Zoom session on theory questions, driving test preparation or any other questions you have. Find out more about Top Cat Driving Academy on the official website.