ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Learning how to drive can be a difficult task, even more difficult to teach.
Parents, if you’re not quite comfortable letting the kids get behind the wheel of your car, there are ways they can get that real-world experience without the risks.
“I’m learning how to drive because I wanna get my license as soon as possible,” said Devin Johnson.
At 14 years old, Devin is already getting experience behind the wheel.
Derrick Johnson, Devin’s dad, has been bringing his daughter to the Melrose Center in the Downtown Orlando library to get some reps in on their driving simulator.
“I wanted to kind of ease into it in a kind of cool, stress-free way... without the risk,” said Derrick.
The simulator is as close as it gets to the real thing, with all the features you’ll find in your car, like the seat belt, rearview and side mirrors, speedometer, the brake and accelerator pedals. The program also has traffic built in, as well as unique scenarios drivers may encounter. Sky Saludes is one of the simulator instructors on hand at the library.
“It can simulate whether the tires have been over- or under-inflated, and there are various weather settings like rain to snow, to extreme fog to see the various differences in how it feels in different vehicles,” said Sky. “If you are speeding, you will get a notification telling you that. It does help with making sure that the cars do feel as realistic as possible in terms of whenever you turn the steering wheel, then it turns in a certain way that mimics the weight of that vehicle.”
“I like how the visuals are very realistic and I like how it gives me tips on the road so I don’t mess up,” said Devin.
Devin plans to continue her driving lessons with the simulator and encourages others, teens and adults, to use this resource. For dad, this gives him some peace of mind that Devin will be better prepared to drive once she gets her permit.
“The aggressiveness of the traffic can tend to be scary sometimes, so I say this is a safe way to do it. I just sit back and enjoy the ride, while Devin learns how to drive,” said Derrick.
The driving simulator is free with an Orange County Library System card after completing a free orientation class at the Melrose Center located inside the Downtown Orlando branch. There are also construction and flight simulators available for use.
