SAIDI was established in 1975 under the auspices of the National Road Safety Council, Traffic Safety, in order to place driver training on a co-ordinated basis and to professionalize and standardize the industry.

Since the inception, great strides forward have been made, and SAIDI is recognized by such bodies as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Provincial Authorities, the Institute for Advanced Motorists of South Africa (IAM), the Automobile Association (AA) and the Department of Transport. The Southern African Institute of Driving Instructors is registered as an Association Not for Gain