Driving a vehicle, at least in our area, is viewed as a sort of "right of passage" when a teen turns 15 (actually, 14 years, 9 months). Some kids are more ready (emotionally, physically, mentally, and socially) for learning to drive than others.
Have you noticed that driving is a highly social experience? Even if you're alone in your automobile, you and those around you are propelling thousands of pounds of steel down the road. While we drive, we're constantly playing a social guessing game--did that driver see me? Is that driver going to turn? Will that driver slow down in time for the light, or try to go through before it turns red? Does that driver know about the patch of ice I just drove over, and will he be able to maintain control of his vehicle (and what is my plan if he can't)? Did that policeman see me, and did he notice that I was driving faster than the speed limit? Is that pedestrian going to walk out into the road, or wait until I am past? Should I slow down?
We know that "social guessing games" can be particularly difficult for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Yet many of them are very effective, safe drivers!
Some parents opt to wait until their children are older before signing them up for "driver's education." Others recognize that their child's abilities limit him/her to taking public transportation or finding some other form of transportation. Others have found various strategies to help their child learn to be a safe driver.
We hope you'll share those strategies here! What do you know? What have you tried and/or learned from your experience? Please share links, books/DVDs or other resources, and helpful tips for other people who are preparing to walk (or drive) this road.
Thank you for your help! Safe driving!
Laurel Falvo, CFLE
Executive Director, The Gray Center
http://www.thegraycenter.org/
We are a family of five with three teens with ASD in one form or the other. Two of driving age, none of them drive (or have drivers licences). One of them is persuing his licence. We last spring went through the Michigan "What Every Driver Must Know" book chapter by chapter slowly and took the online quiz at the state site. Then spent the summer driving in parking lots and driving from town to town during down times of the day carefully. Now that school has started we are taking drivers ed via the computer,(because I cannot afford $365 for the course at the high school - we live on one income) driversed.com --cost me $45.00 and we continue to drive in parking lots and between towns carefully and review the state book. My teen will be 17 in November and I do not know how long I can hold off getting his license, but at least he will know his book/film drivers ed stuff -- driversed.com has some great stuff on it and the mini movies and information is great. Just what we are doing for now.
ReplyDeleteByron Center, MI
Thank you for this valuable information! I'll be looking into it myself. We appreciate your willingness to help keep this online community informed. Best wishes to you and your family!
ReplyDeleteLaurel Falvo