Albert Llovera Opens Andorra's First Adaptive Driving School for Disabled Drivers

Andorran rally driver and Paralympic athlete Albert Llovera has opened the Principality's first adaptive driving school, offering pioneering international training on ice and snow for drivers with reduced mobility.

Unveiled on Wednesday at the Andorra-Pas de la Casa Circuit, the program fills a key gap in road safety training for people with disabilities, especially on low-grip surfaces typical of Andorra's winter mountain roads. Drawing from his own experiences and work supporting young people and adults recovering from severe accidents in rallying, motorcycling, and downhill skiing, Llovera identified a lack of specialized structures to rebuild driving confidence. He described meeting "young men and women all with the same concern, but without any suitable training to help them regain confidence and safety behind the wheel."

In partnership with long-time collaborator Guidosimplex and the Andorra-Pas de la Casa Circuit, the school begins with two fully adapted vehicles: one front-wheel drive and one rear-wheel drive. Courses combine classroom sessions with hands-on practice, covering vehicle positioning, throttle sensitivity, correct use of adaptations, balance in slippery conditions, acceleration and braking timing, and maintaining composure. The focus remains on practical daily driving rather than competitive skills.

Andbank is covering costs for Andorran residents, highlighting its dedication to inclusion and road safety. Originally considered for development abroad, the initiative—shaped by Llovera's sessions at Albacete Circuit and Spain's Escola TAC with Marc Gutiérrez and Isaac Guillén—now establishes Andorra as a global benchmark. While similar efforts exist in Italy and the UK, they are confined to asphalt tracks.

The inaugural pilot course involved two participants who reported strong positive impressions. Miquel Llongueras described it as "a very good experience" packed with technique, crediting Llovera and the instructors for clear guidance on snow-driving dos and don'ts. Genís Besolí echoed this, calling the practical elements "brutal" and essential for gaining awareness in a snowy nation, enabling safer and more enjoyable drives. Key hurdles included staying calm, achieving balance, and judging when to accelerate or brake, though both noted that consistent practice makes it achievable. Llovera summed it up: like "a marriage: you have to listen so everything runs smoothly, run when you can, push the machine when needed, because mechanics have memory."