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Schneekugel
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18 Jan 2013, 6:07 am

I am forced to drive around for my job, and often in for me unknown cities. But the first thing i shut down at my navigation system was the sound, so its definitely the last thing on earth you need to get used to. ^^



rapidroy
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18 Jan 2013, 6:43 am

Foxx wrote:
Back when I was a kid, I got a game called "trafikspillet" (The traffic game), which contained several traffic problems both for kids (on a bike) and for adults (in a car). Some were simple, while others were more advanced (eg. roadworks). I used to play it a lot with my parents back then, and used the cards for practice later when I started taking my license. Try to see if you can get something similar and if it helps.

however much it pains me to say this, if nothing helps, he may never learn to drive, or it may be unwise to let him do so. Far from all situations in traffic can be scripted. What if he comes across roadworks, rush hour or an accident site? How will he react then? At least focus should be placed on these areas.
Another + would be to teach him to drive with a talking GPS. He WILL need it one day.


Thats why I tend to restrict my driving to local roads I know well, were my abillity to react to such issues are much stronger, the detours are already scripted naturally from expirence. Also the need to drive in uncharted territory is usally quite low so that oftens lessens the need to be able to drive in such places. I would not give up on it for the inabillity to compleatly script the drive, just stay were you know if its that much of an issue. Feeling the personal independance of driving does not require being able to do a 500 mile trip to Florida.



makemom
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17 Apr 2013, 2:08 am

My Aspies have been later to drive. My oldest son had 2 different learner's permits, so about 2 years' worth of practice driving with a break in the middle, before he got his license at age 19. He's a careful driver now. But he does try to stick to less-crowded driving situations.


My younger Aspie is still working on getting her license. She recently got a new learner's permit, after having had a 2 year one earlier. We hope she can earn her license this summer, at age 19.

It's not at all worth rushing it. Too many serious consequences.



DrHouseHasAspergers
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22 Apr 2013, 10:07 pm

I'm 19 and I just got my license a few months ago.

I went through driver's training at the earliest age allowed (14 years 8 months) and passed with flying colors because it was mostly classroom learning and a written test at the end. I waited on segment 2 of drivers' education because I had trouble getting myself to actually practice driving and I needed to have a certain number of hours driving before I could take segment 2. I took segment 2 when I was 16 (passed it - written tests were easy and I got the highest score in the class), practiced sporadically for a year, then attempted the road test. I failed the test because I got 28 points and you are only allowed to get up to 25 points before you fail. I then took a bit of a hiatus from trying to learn. A year and a half later, I tried again with a private on-the-road lesson before retaking the road test. I passed (barely) with only 21 points.

I look up routes for places I have not driven to yet or have not driven to in a while on Google Maps even if they are only 5 minutes away. I use the satellite view to get an idea of what it'll look like (which lane to be in, turns, and parking lots/driveways). I feel much better about driving to unfamiliar places after I have checked Google Maps. My dad helps me by talking through the route before I go and what to do in difficult driving conditions (like thunderstorms). This is very helpful for me because I get really bad at driving when I'm nervous or unsure about what exactly to expect.

I don't think it helped when I first tried learning to drive that my mother was constantly barking at me what I was doing wrong when I tried to practice with her. Her yelling at me just made me really nervous and on edge which made my driving so much worse. Also, given that I lived with her most of the time, she was pretty much the only person I could practice with on a regular basis. I hated driving with her so I just didn't practice.



Adamantius
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22 Apr 2013, 10:44 pm

I can't concentrate on driving while someone is non-stop talking to me or freaking out, so having my parents teach me to drive was out of the question. A professional driver's ed instructor was perfect for me. He knew when to talk and gave me plenty of warning. He was calm bc he had a steering wheel and brakes of his own :-)

Also, your son may be more comfortable if he has ample time to look at map quest or a map well before he gets in the car with alternative routes if a construction project pops up. Looking at traffic congestion websites helps, too. Sometimes, I chose different routes to avoid unsafe turns in busy intersections especially with honking jerks behind me. I was always a "grandma driver" and was cool with that even if the people behind me weren't ;-)

Also, time in a big parking lot helps with learning how the gas and brake respond to certain pressures. Decades later, I still went to the Walmart parking lot after the first snow of the season to slam on my brakes on the snow, so I could trust the ABS brakes, etc.

My instructor said, "Pretend there's an egg under the gas pedal and a tube of toothpaste under the brake." He also told me I was in charge of my spot in the lane and not to worry about the jerks behind me.