Learning to Drive with ASD

Research is just beginning to address how to assess whether a person with ASD is ready to learn to drive, or what approaches may best help a person with ASD achieve this goal.

Read our article, here: http://www.iancommunity.org/cs/adults/driving_with_asd

Have we covered all the issues that might be involved in our article? What other challenges may individuals with ASD face as they get behind the wheel, and what techniques may help them succeed? Share your experiences here, whether they involve deciding when to start the learning-to-drive process, or experiences once that decision was made.

How unbelievably ironic that this article should show up today. This was our dinner conversation last night. Our son who is diagnosed with high functioning autism/aspergers/add/adhd turns 16 in a few weeks. We have know all along that he won't be able to drive, but he finally expressed how terrified he is at the prospect of driving given his distractability and inability to focus. He will get his permit and my husband will take him into a large parking lot over the summer just to get the feel, but unfortunately, that is where it ends. He just learned public transportation and the subway system (we live in NYC)so at least he has some manner of freedom and way of getting around without relying on us.

Hi Robin, and welcome to IAN.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It is clear that many families are trying to decide when and whether to teach a teen or adult with ASD to drive.

I will be so interested to hear families share their stories about this: how did they decide? What did they decide? How did a teen or adult with ASD feel about the decision, or take part in it? For those who have learned to drive - what was the process like? For those who succeeded, what helped? For those who found it too challening, what stood in the way?

My son is 26. He developed in interest in driving at age 18. One day he said, "I'm ready to take my driving test". He passed, he said, "If you know the rules, you can drive, and pay close attention to what is around you." He has a car and is now living not to far from campus in student housing (not a dorm, kind of like townhouses for college students). I believe he is enjoying his independence. He can cook and cooks most of his own meals. He has a room-mate...but "he comes and goes" and "he is just a room-mate". I don't have to worry about "parties", "drugs", "drinking". He is so focused on getting his degree...despite was goes around him.

He also has a card in his wallet in case he stopped by the police. It reads that he has Aspergers Syndrome and to please not shine the light or look him directly in the eyes and only ask "yes" or "no" questions. Our phone number is also on the card. He was stopped only once. He showed the officer the card. The officer was very nice and asked my son to go to Auto Zone and pick up a bulb for his back brake light and the employee at Auto Zone will install it for him. The officer gave him back his card and sent him on his way.

It is so encouraging to hear that your son learned to drive, CAMmom. My son is 15, and not yet interested, but I am thinking it may be the same as it is for your son: that the interest will come, if a bit later than for most kids. I hope some other skills come along, too, like the ability to pay better attention or cope with the multitasking part of driving.