Driving with Dyscalculia - Part Two
The most-watched YouTube video on my channel is how dyscalculia impacts learning to drive. It simply draws attention to an every-day impact of dyscalculia that isn’t recognized in our society.
My dyscalculic daughter passed her drivers education class this summer, and as she has been recently practicing for her driving exam, we noticed another aspect of driving that is considerably more difficult for her.
That is the quick mental estimations and calculations with speed, space, and time. For example, calculating the rate of speed that other cars are going and when they will arrive at a certain point.
When approaching an intersection, it’s hard to see other approaching cars and estimate their timing of arrival. This impacts decisions on whether there is space and time to make a turn. It impacts knowing if there is enough time to turn onto a road with moving cars, or changing lanes, especially if all the cars are not traveling the same speed.
I’ve been intentionally pondering why this element is particularly difficult. This skill isn’t easy for any new driver, but it’s noticeably more difficult for dyscalculics.
I realized that even though we are not dealing with an exact “number” of feet or yards, it is the estimation of amount or quantity of space and time, that has to be quickly recognized and determined. This task is especially difficult if you don’t have an innate sense for quantity (including distance), and the ability for quick mental calculations on those amounts. Such is the case for many dyscalculic individuals.
My daughter and I do not have a solutions for this specific challenge yet. So far it has been helpful to name the struggle, and the reason behind it. It removes the confusion, which always reduces anxiety.
With other driving challenges, we’ve found it’s usually helpful to break it down, making the task smaller with explicit and step-by-step directions, detailing things most instructors don't explain. (This strategy is a lot like one used in successful dyscalculia math education methods!)
Until then, we continue our family’s experiment and story behind learning to drive with dyscalculia.
Read my original post on Driving with Dyscalculia, (plus comments and suggestions from dyscalculic drivers).