SafeWay Driving<\/a>, where instructors like Clyde Briggs are helping students with autism and other neurodivergent conditions master the complex task of driving.<\/p>\nBrad Coleman, a former NASCAR driver, now owns and operates SafeWay Driving in Houston. (Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
Neurodivergence describes individuals whose brains function, learn and process information differently from what is considered typical. <\/p>\n
This includes conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and other neurological variations. <\/p>\n
For these individuals, tasks that others might find routine can present unique challenges, but also opportunities for innovative learning approaches.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis gives him independence, this gives him a life,\u201d said Michelle Heinz, whose son, Nick, is learning to drive. Nick has autism and a rare genetic syndrome, represents countless students who once thought independent driving was out of reach.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no limits for Nick<\/p>\n
Nick\u2019s story is one of remarkable perseverance. <\/p>\n
\u201cNick is the most tenacious, amazing kid I\u2019ve ever met,\u201d his mother shared. \u201cHe ran for general secretary of Lone Star College on the Tomball campus and won. In spite of all of his difficulties and delays, he has exceeded every single estimate.\u201d<\/p>\n
That determination has been a constant throughout Nick\u2019s life. <\/p>\n
Michelle recalls how, when Nick was younger, he refused to be limited by his challenges. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur other kids were water skiing, and he wanted to water ski, but he has some difficulties. Every weekend he would beg us to take a ski lesson until he finally got it, and then he even slalomed. He\u2019s just the most determined, hard-working kid I\u2019ve ever known.\u201d<\/p>\n
Driving fast & driving safe<\/p>\n
Coleman\u2019s path to becoming a driving school owner began during his NASCAR career. <\/p>\n
13-16 February, 2008, Daytona Beach, Florida USA
Brad Coleman
\u00a92008, Tyler Barrick \/ Autostock (\u00a9 2008
Tyler Barrick
43 Pennsylvania Ave
Flemington, NJ 08822)<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile I was racing in NASCAR, one of the sponsors was Nationwide Insurance,\u201d Coleman explains. \u201cThey would ask drivers to go do a sponsor obligation at a high school, talk to teens about the dangers of distracted driving. In the process of doing that, I discovered this passion that I\u2019m making a difference in these kids\u2019 lives, and this is something I want to do when racing\u2019s over.\u201d<\/p>\n
The transition made sense to Coleman, who even branded one of his NASCAR vehicles with the SafeWay logo after purchasing the company in 2010. <\/p>\n
\u201cI had a good year of a SafeWay driving branded NASCAR. Said \u2018student driver\u2019 on the back. I got made fun of by a lot of drivers, but I would always say, \u2018Well, that just means I\u2019m in front of you if you see that,\u2019\u201d he laughed.<\/p>\n
4-5 June, 2010, Lebanon, Tennessee USA
Brad Coleman
\u00a92010, Lesley Ann Miller, USA
Autostock (\u00a92010 Lesley Ann Miller
5405 Alton Pkwy
Suite 5A-265
Irvine CA 92604
United States
+1-949-872-3316
lmiller@lat-usa.com)<\/p>\n
The school\u2019s success stems from its methodical approach to driver education. <\/p>\n
Brad Coleman, a former NASCAR driver, now owns and operates SafeWay Driving in Houston. (Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
\u201cOur Safeway system works perfectly because you build a foundation that you just keep working up on every lesson,\u201d Coleman explained. \u201cWe don\u2019t just throw you on the freeway in lesson one. Lesson one, you\u2019re in a parking lot. When you show that you know how to control the car, we\u2019ll move to a neighborhood. When you get that, we\u2019ll move to a street.\u201d<\/p>\n
This structured progression is particularly beneficial for neurodivergent students, who often thrive with clear, step-by-step instruction. <\/p>\n
The program offers extended training beyond Texas\u2019s minimum requirement of seven hours behind the wheel, allowing students up to 37 hours of instruction to master driving skills at their own pace.<\/p>\n
Nick\u2019s father, Mike Heinz, emphasizes the importance of timing and individualized attention. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf we\u2019d have done this when he was 18, he wasn\u2019t ready,\u201d he explained. \u201cNick\u2019s like a lot of kids that are neurodiverse \u2013 he\u2019s six or seven years behind on some things. We just had to wait until he was ready. He\u2019s ready now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The one-on-one instruction proves invaluable. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a little overwhelming if he\u2019s got to get in a car with other kids and listening to them, or them in a car with Nick,\u201d Mike said. \u201cHere at SafeWay, he gets in the car by himself with the instructor, he feels totally confident. Nobody\u2019s critiquing him.\u201d<\/p>\n
A well known secret<\/p>\n
The program\u2019s reputation has spread organically through Houston\u2019s special needs community. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe parents in the special needs community are a very tight-knit group,\u201d Michelle explained. \u201cThis has been an open secret for years that if you want your child to drive, you can go to SafeWay. They will have someone very kind and understanding like Clyde.\u201d<\/p>\n
The impact extends beyond just driving skills. <\/p>\n
\u201cAll of our kids have anxiety,\u201d Michelle notes. \u201cAnd they are really good about keeping them calm, being kind, being supportive, and they get more than just driving skills. They give them the confidence, which is huge.\u201d<\/p>\n
Getting on the road<\/p>\n
For Nick, getting his license represents more than just the ability to drive. <\/p>\n
His mother sees it opening new opportunities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ll be able to go out with friends,\u201d she said. \u201cAll of our kids have a harder time socially, and this definitely is going to be a huge step socially, independence-wise, confidence-wise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coleman, who has expanded the program to 22 locations, sees his mission as preventing \u201cthe phone call that nobody wants.\u201d Safety remains the program\u2019s top priority, but the broader impact on students\u2019 lives is unmistakable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re giving them independence. They\u2019re giving them confidence. They\u2019re giving them a better life,\u201d Michelle said. \u201cWe were told Nick would never walk and talk. He\u2019s now driving. A lot of times parents of kiddos with special needs are so afraid they\u2019re going to get hurt. Just give them that chance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HOUSTON \u2013 A former NASCAR driver is revolutionizing driver\u2019s education in Houston, giving neurodivergent students the keys to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":76609,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[17575,7612,37699,159,405,13518,56,58,57,14492,251,37700,37702,37703,37701,37704,6208],"class_list":["post-76608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston","tag-adhd","tag-autism","tag-brad-coleman","tag-dyslexia","tag-harris-county","tag-highway","tag-houston","tag-houston-headlines","tag-houston-news","tag-interstate","tag-local-news","tag-nascar","tag-neurodivergent","tag-neurodivergent-driver-education","tag-safeway-driving","tag-specialized-driving-school","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76608"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76608\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}