“Experience a Free Driving Simulator at a Florida Library for Teens and Adults!”

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Learning how to drive can be a difficult task, even more difficult to teach.

Parents, if you’re hesitant to allow your kids to practice driving your car, there are alternative ways for them to gain real-world experience without the associated 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, who is Devin’s father, has opted to take his daughter to the Melrose Center located in the Downtown Orlando library, where she can hone her driving skills using a simulator.

“I wanted to kind of ease into it in a kind of cool, stress-free way… without the risk,” said Derrick.

This simulator closely mimics an actual driving experience by including all the components typically found in a car, such as seat belts, rearview and side mirrors, speedometer, as well as the brake and accelerator pedals. Moreover, the program incorporates traffic scenarios and various unique driving situations that individuals may come across. Sky Saludes is one of the experienced simulator instructors available at the library to assist.

“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.