Published by Virtual Driver Interactive
What are driving simulator lessons really like? Lina Kreter owns The Driving Experience, a driving school that has used Virtual Driver Interactive (VDI) simulators since 2018. She shared her story with us. Here it is in full, exactly as she wrote it, followed by what it means if you're trying simulator training for the first time.
Lina Kreter's story, in her words
I started using the Virtual Driving Interactive Simulators in 2018 because I had myself learned to drive on a simulator and was concerned that we were putting drivers on the road with minimal exposure to scenarios that required better judgement and clear thinking. Because I had known the value of the simulators firsthand, I launched my business to help new, existing, and unsure drivers build confidence in their ability to overcome any apprehension they were working through to achieve driving success.
At first it was difficult to explain to callers what the simulators did and how they helped, it took several “free trials” to bring in the clients and to get people to understand how simulators helped with developing real-life skills. Once the word got out and I started using Google advertising, I began receiving calls from parents that were concerned about their teens getting behind the wheel of a car with only a few hours of practice. I had numerous parents call because their teen had already had a collision and they were only starting with their driver’s permit. As the parents sat and watched their teens make smart decisions based on the simulator’s programs, I heard many sighs of relief from both parents and students.
One population that gravitates toward the simulators are parents of high functioning Autism teens or young adults, teens with ADHD and/or ADD that are on medication, and others that have other learning challenges. To date, I have worked with over a dozen clients on the spectrum and many that have gone on to successfully achieve licensure. I have one student that began in January 2021 and crashed each time he came in to do the lessons. He continues to come to date because he enjoys the skills he has learned and has shown tremendous mastery in learning driving skills on the simulator. His favorite is the Free Drive because he gets to choose where to go, change the weather conditions and he especially enjoys practicing U-turns because he gets to practice the “hand-over-hand” turns. His transformation from when he first sat at the simulator to the work he is currently doing now would not have been possible but for the desire he has and the work that we do together to learn how to handle his “car”. He may not be ready for licensure for a while, but he has shown tremendous success and understanding of what it means to be a responsible driver.
My format for helping my students, of all ages (I’ve had everything from teens to senior citizens), is to engage with them while they are doing the lessons. I do this because there are many questions that come up as they are using the simulator and I like to ask them what they know or what they think a given scenario requires of them and why. There is a dialogue that occurs because it helps them to hear what, why or how they should do a certain task while driving to supplement the material in the lesson(s).
I highly recommend the program and continue to find great satisfaction in receiving text messages from former students sharing that they have their licenses and the appreciation they have for the help they received on the simulator.
What to expect from driving simulator lessons
Expect mistakes early, steady progress later, and plenty of conversation. In Lina's experience, many new drivers struggle at first. One student crashed in every early lesson and later showed real skill on the simulator.
Her lessons work best when the instructor sits beside the student and asks questions as each scene plays out. Parents often relax once they watch their teen make good choices on screen. Her students range from teens to senior citizens, including many with learning differences.
A simulator doesn't replace behind-the-wheel lessons or your state's licensing steps. It adds safe, repeatable practice. Check your local rules on how simulator time counts toward training.
How the pieces fit. A new driver needs practice making judgment calls before the stakes are real. The simulator supplies the scenes. The instructor watches, asks "why," and fixes habits early. After a few sessions, you can tell whether the format suits the student. The limit is transfer: screen skills still have to carry over to a real car with a real instructor.
Want to see a structured version? The Novice Driving Essentials (NDE) curriculum page lists VDI's 14 teen lessons, from the pre-assessment to Free Drive. It also shows the hardware options.
Why one driving school owner started with simulators
Lina started because she worried new drivers weren't seeing enough situations that test judgment. That worry lines up with public health data. The CDC says teen crash risk peaks in the first months after licensing. The National Institutes of Health points to inexperience as the biggest factor in crashes among new drivers.
A simulator can't add years of road time. It can add exposure to tough moments, like a sudden hazard or bad weather, that a new driver might not meet during a few supervised hours.
What the first sessions feel like for students and parents
Lina's early callers didn't understand what a simulator did, so she offered trials. Two lessons stand out. First, families often don't know what a simulator lesson is until they see one. Second, watching changed how parents felt. They saw their teen's choices, not just a score.
If you run a driving school, invite a parent to sit in on an early lesson. It answers "does this work?" faster than any brochure. The tradeoff is time: a watched session runs slower, because parents ask questions too.
Can driving simulators help teens with autism, ADHD, or learning differences?
Lina's story about the student who crashed in every early lesson sets honest expectations. Progress took time, crashes came first, and licensure isn't promised. What changed was skill and understanding, built through repetition.
Researchers are studying the same need. A University of Alabama at Birmingham report on autism and driving found about two-thirds of surveyed parents were interested in their autistic teens learning to drive. The same report notes that specialized driving instructors are scarce.
The Free Drive mode Lina mentions is the last lesson in VDI's current NDE curriculum. Students pick a route and change conditions, which gives a motivated learner room to practice what they enjoy.
Lina's results come from one school. For students with significant needs, families may also want an assessment from a driver rehabilitation specialist or occupational therapist.
How an instructor should coach during simulator lessons
Lina talks with students during every lesson and asks what each scene requires and why. This is the part most "simulator review" pages skip. The software sets up the scene. The learning happens in the talk around it: "What do you see? What will you do? Why?"
Simulator practice isn't only for teens, either. In a study of healthy older drivers, a group that trained on a driving simulator improved its on-road driving compared with a group that did attention training.
| Stage | What the student experiences | What the instructor does | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before the first lesson | Questions about what a simulator is and whether it counts as "real" practice. | Explains the goal; offers a trial or lets a parent watch. | Families who still picture a video game. Show a lesson instead of describing one. |
| First sessions | Mistakes, missed hazards, even crashes on screen. | Stays beside the student and keeps the mood calm. | Crashes are expected here. They happen where nobody gets hurt. |
| Coached practice | Repeated scenes; starts to explain choices out loud. | Asks what the scene requires and why, then adds detail the lesson doesn't cover. | Can the student say why, not just what? |
| Open practice | Chooses routes and weather in Free Drive; drills maneuvers like U-turns. | Targets weak spots, such as hand-over-hand steering. | Steady habits across changing conditions. |
| Toward the road | More confidence; behind-the-wheel lessons with a licensed instructor. | Judges readiness; some students need more time. | Licensure follows on-road training and your state's test, not simulator time alone. |
Is a driving simulator worth it?
Lina highly recommends it. Her best measure is the texts she still gets from former students who've earned their licenses.
A simulator pays off when someone coaches during the lesson. Left alone, a student can click through scenes and learn less. Plan for instructor time, not just equipment.
Space matters too. VDI's NDE page lists a compact Desktop Series and a car-like Full Cab Series. Smaller rooms suit the desktop setup; the full cab trades space for realism.
You can compare Lina's experience with other programs on VDI's testimonials page, which includes high schools and other driving schools.
Key takeaways
- Early mistakes, including on-screen crashes, are normal and safe.
- The biggest gains come from an instructor who asks "what" and "why" during each scene.
- Letting parents watch a lesson builds trust quickly.
- Learners with autism, ADHD, or other learning differences may need more sessions; progress can still be real.
- Simulator time adds practice. It doesn't replace on-road lessons or your state's licensing steps.
Driving simulator FAQs
Is it normal to crash on a driving simulator at first?
Yes. In Lina's account, one student crashed in every early lesson before building real skill. A crash on screen shows the instructor what to coach next, with no one at risk.
Can a driving simulator replace behind-the-wheel lessons?
No. A simulator complements required instruction. Each state sets its own training and licensing rules, so check how, or whether, simulator time counts where you live.
Do driving simulators help autistic teens learn to drive?
Some families find them a helpful, low-pressure start, and researchers are studying the topic. Lina has worked with more than a dozen clients on the spectrum. Results vary, so a driver rehabilitation specialist can help with readiness.
Are driving simulators only for teens?
No. Lina has coached students from teens to senior citizens. A study of healthy older drivers found simulator training improved their on-road driving.
Try a coached lesson and judge for yourself
Lina's story comes down to one idea: give new drivers a safe place to think, and talk them through it. If you run a driving school and want to see how that could look with your students, start with a demo.
Want the bigger picture first? See how VDI works with high schools and driving schools.
Sources
- Parents Are the Key: Teen Driver Danger Zones, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- What Risk Factors Do All Drivers Face?, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH).
- Most Teens With Autism Do Not Drive. This Researcher Is Testing a Way to Change That, UAB Reporter, Sept. 9, 2024.
- The Drive-Wise Project: Driving Simulator Training Increases Real Driving Performance in Healthy Older Drivers, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2014.
- Novice Driving Essentials, Virtual Driver Interactive, accessed Oct. 19, 2026.