roses4lace

I am an Aspie and drive. My son is an Aspie and doesn't drive. Well, he did study the book a couple of days, and we took him to driving lessons offered by Voc Rehab. Drove only at the classes. Got his license, and hasn't driven since.

I saw driving as a way to leave a bad home situation and be independent. So I persevered. It helped that we had a large yard, where I spent many days driving around without worrying about hitting something. There are too many distractions driving. I still don't enjoy it, but I'll drive if I can't talk someone else into driving. Took me years to be able to drive with the radio on. Still don't want people talking to me if it's raining, or constant chatting when I'm driving. Just too much sensory overload.

Here's an idea - If he wants to drive, go somewhere there aren't many cars, and the road is fairly wide. Best would be to take someone's truck out on a farm where he doesn't have to stay on the road. This way he could get familiar with what all he has to do without the fear of running off the road and having to constantly check the mirrors.

Remembering to look in all the mirrors, getting coordinated enough to do the steering wheel and the gas and brakes, knowing when to look out which window and in which mirror, keeping it between the lines and out of the ditch, having a car coming straight towards you, having no concept of how big your vehicle is and what space it will fit in . . . Well you get the picture. He doesn't have to read the book before driving, and whoever is in the car can point out the "rules" as they are needed. Later he can read the book and it'll make more sense.