Inclusive monitoring: Driving with an intellectual disability in Brazil
An initiative called Autoecola Xtraordinaria by Locaaliza, a South American car rental company, is guiding and funding driving lessons for 30 people who live with Down Syndrome and want to get a driver’s license. Funding is available to individuals who are 18 or over, are literate and dream about driving.
In another step towards inclusive driving in Brazil where there are 74 million drivers and only 2 with Down syndrome according the website, the same company has released a comprehensive guide for all individuals living with intellectual disabilities who would like to get their driver’s license.
Free and downloadable, the guide gives readers easy-to-understand “how to” advice that simplifies the otherwise complex process. Written to be helpful for both individuals and family members materials offer an outline of the application process, driving school options and details about the required vision exams and psychometric assessments. There are also guidelines and tip that help individuals prepare themselves for both the theory exam and the practical driving test.
This step-by-step guide or ‘roadmap’ was prepared in collaboration with Brazil’s own non-profit Instituto Mano Down an organization that supports those living with Down Syndrome with the goal of fostering autonomy and inclusion.
The company also supported the program launch with an influencer and media campaign. https://cloud.e.localiza.com/xtraordinarydrivingschool-influ-kit.
At press time, we learned that of last year’s group of 30 – one applicant is now licensed, one is taking driving lessons, six are doing drivers education and 15 are taking psychometric tests as part of the licensing process.
