Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Will It Take?
How long it takes really depends on the consumer. A person who has never driven before and never even thought of themselves as a driver will take longer. They will have many skills to develop including spatial awareness, speed and distance estimation, and navigational skills. Some people can take a year or longer. On the other hand, other people will take to it very quickly due to a natural affinity for it or previous driving experience, and might be ready for a road test in just a few lessons. Everyone is different, and everyone has different needs as a learner.

Is it safe?
For someone who has never driven before, the prospect of driving a car can be daunting. A large vehicle, other cars zooming by, and other road challenges make driving seem like a very difficult task. Learning to drive is, however, remarkably safe because every step of the way a skilled and experienced driving instructor is by your side. They will use their experience to keep you out of situations that you are not ready for, and they will talk you through each new situation you encounter. Should you get into a tight spot, your instructor has an instructor�s brake and can act to protect you and the car.

Why does Adaptive Driving Program use such large cars?
Most of our instruction vehicles are Ford Crown Victorias and Mercury Grand Marquis. There are two reasons for this. The first is that having a larger vehicle gives us more capacity for carrying the adaptive equipment we use in lessons and also means that we have space in the car to carry wheelchairs and other equipment which we might need to carry. A larger car is also easier for drivers with a variety of physical situations to get into and out of.

We also feel that our consumers get a better learning experience in a larger vehicle. If a driver learns to drive in a larger vehicle, it is easy to adapt those skills to a smaller car, while some drivers who learn on smaller cars have difficulty making the transition to larger cars.

Does Adaptive Driving Program only work with people with physical disabilities?
No, we work with anyone who has special situations which make learning to drive more challenging. We teach people with cognitive, perceptual, learning, and physical challenges.