Payge's Story: Driving My Journey

Everything is Awesome when you drive.

Driving is one of the most free and exhilarating feelings you could have. It can be scary and it takes time to get there but when you’re confident and know all the road rules then it becomes easier. Take it from someone who has an intellectual disability.

When I turned 16 I started my driving lessons with my instructor (who teaches you how to drive). It was great but I was scared at the same time. I wasn’t confident in myself just yet so I kept practising and practising and I also had to do a driving test. Once I had 100% completed I drove with a driving inspector (someone who marks how your driving is. It’s like school marks but with driving) he was a bit intimidating, well, I was 16 at the time.

I did well and did everything right, except looking behind one of my blind spots for a few seconds longer because I thought I would collide with someone if I held that for longer. I thought I had failed once we got back when my instructor mentioned that people fail after coming back 10 minutes later and I thought the inspector was going to indeed fail me since we couldn’t tell because his facial expression was emotionless. 

My instructor, my mum and I followed the inspector upstairs, we were all quiet and sad until he told us I passed. We then all burst out crying with happy tears, we couldn’t believe that I passed and I now have my driving licence.

I passed my driving test, maybe you can as well.