Elizabeth- Specialised Driving Instructor

12/12/2025

04/12/2025

A lot of people will often ask me my story and how I got into specialised driving lessons. As you can imagine, driving instructor was defiently not my first choice of profession. I actually completed a Bachalor of biotechnology, but the industry did not suit me. In 2009, I got diagnosed with major depression and had to find something that allowed me to work with ongoing metal health issues. I had an opportunity to try driving instructing and gave it a go. Teaching is in the family, my father, mother and brother where all teachers. It was giving me purpose and rewards and thus continued and I have moved into the speciality field of driving instruction. This happened due to my understanding of Autism and disabilities. My background of biotechnology gave me a scientific understanding, but I also have a emotional understanding due to not only the depression but also my twin brother and mother are both diagnosed ASD2. It is likely that I am also ASD but have not gone down the path of getting diagnosed. I defiently have some classic traights that are different to my brothers- I have trouble looking people in the eyes during conversations, I have significant trouble reading body language, I need significant down time and processing time to name a few. My emotional and personal understanding does go past this as my brother also has a cochlear implant and cronic fatigue issues and is on the NDIS. On top of this, I have osteoathritis in the knees, newly diagnosed and still exploring.
Driving instruction has allowed me to not only impart knowledge and have a since of purpose it hopfully shows clients what a right balance of job and self care can help you achieve despite the challanges life throws at you. I have learnt to balance my mental health, down time required, raising a child, running a household ect all while working and creating a sole trade company. This is not done solo of course, I have support of my family and friends plus a good community. The clients I work with understand due to there own struggles what burn out is like and once in a blue moon I can not make the lesson like they may not be able to at times, we work together in order to achieve ther goals.

28/11/2025

https://www.drivingwell.com.au/the-wrong-instructor-can-really-impact-learning-to-drive/?fbclid=IwVERDUAOV2shleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR4Tv5Q9zrUtWDz2vGNtbs5ip2S7bltq6c0O7cndE67yvDMUqqunsLO2ZEp7RQ_aem_FpC1riEMoHgHUCjHZz67Hg

27/11/2025

A lot of people question the difference between myself and so called normal driving instructors. A classic example is the way I teach and monitor changing lanes. A lot of you may already know the accronyn MIS which is taught via instructors to students and a lot do use this as a accroyn when teaching changing lanes. Although I will refer to this I will explain that it is not complete. This is just to help you rememeber the steps, not the complete steps.
A client who is autistc or schitzophenic or even some of the other disabilities that heavily rely on procedures and structure will stuggle and have holes in the knowledge and ability if you just teach or reitorate MIS and do not fully extent it to the all the steps required and how all those steps work and are improtant.

The steps I teach are-

mirrors- not just once but mirror back to the road, what is around you, mirrors and back to the road- what are those cars doing- speeding up or slowing down, mirrors and back to the road- is there a gap, mirrors and back to the road- can you see any gap coming up. (often we can spend a entire lesson just on this before adding in the indicate and shoulder check)
Once we find a adequate gap- indicate, by indicating first it gives people time to react to your indicator (a important step once you get into traffic and you may have to ask did they see you),
Shoulder check- this just looks over your shoulder at the blind spot, what is the blind spot and where is it located
Question- IS IT STILL SAFE? This is important part as this emcompass another mirror check on cars to make sure they have seen us and slow down and or nothing has changed
Then Move.

This will then lead into reading cars for aggressive drivers, what they are and how to deal with them when changing lanes and Merging- what the different mergers are, how they work, seeing them early to allow planning ect. As a instructor my role is not just to provide the bare minimum and the steps that will let a student pass a test but fill all the holes and educate. Allowing them to become drivers who are truly ready for life on the road by themselves and who can problem solve issues that may arise.

17/11/2025

16/11/2025

My second cousin daughter... so sad.

💔 THIS IS WHAT NDIS CUTS DO TO REAL FAMILIES.
And it’s happening everywhere — quietly, cruelly, and without warning.

Louise (60) and Darren (63) from Caboolture should be planning their retirement.

Instead, they’re fighting for their 22-year-old daughter Mary’s life, safety, and future.

Mary is non-verbal.

She lives with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism and mobility challenges.

She needs 24/7 one-on-one care, often two staff just to keep her safe during seizures, meltdowns or high anxiety moments.

For years, the Cattons built the best plan they could — so Mary could have stability long after they’re gone.

Then the NDIS cut her funding by almost $250,000.
Just… gone.

Overnight care? At risk.
Allied health? At risk.
Two-on-one community access? At risk.
Mary’s progress from 2021 to 2025 — suddenly in jeopardy.

And Mary?

She cried herself to sleep.
Night after night.
Terrified she’d lose the support workers she trusts with her life.

No family should EVER have to see their child break like that.

After months of stress, dozens of complaints, and a brutal internal review, they clawed back $70,000 — but nowhere near what was taken.

And they’re terrified they’ll have to fight again next year.
And the year after.
And the year after that.

Because this isn’t an isolated case.

This is a nationwide crisis.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-16/qld-ndis-funding-cuts-means-brisbane-couple-cant-retire/106006192

07/10/2025

https://northlakesguide.com.au/stories/specialised-driving-lessons/

01/10/2025

Under estimated

Stand where the vehicle will pull up when braking hard from 80km/h. None were close.

08/09/2025

13/08/2025

Update: Our Moreton Learner Drive Night has reached capacity. Please follow our MyPolice Moreton page, details of any future Learner Driver Nights will be shared here.

Our popular Learner Driver Nights are coming to Moreton! 🚗

Queensland Police and Lakeside Park will be hosting Moreton's inaugural Learner Driver Night in Dakabin on September 4, providing a safe, controlled environment where new drivers will learn:

🔵 What to expect when emergency vehicles approach.

🔵 How to respond when pulled over and conduct a practice RBT.

🔵 Safe ways to deal with emergencies on the road.

🔵 Driver responsibilities in a wide range of road situations.

Four sessions will run on the night with a maximum of 20 learners per session, and tickets will be in high demand. Bookings are essential and can be placed via the Lakeside Park website below 👇

https://lakesidepark.com.au/events/learner-driver-nights