Abstract
Gaining a driver’s licence represents increased independence and can lead to improved quality of life for individuals and their families. Learning to drive a motor vehicle and maintaining safe on-road skills are often more difficult for people on the autism spectrum. Many countries currently have no autism-specific licencing requirements for learner drivers, and there is a general lack of ASD-specific support and training packages for individuals, their families, and driving instructors. This review synthesises the peer-reviewed literature about the driving characteristics of drivers on the spectrum and driver training available for the cohort. The evidence in this review showed that individuals on the autism spectrum drive differently from their neurotypical counterparts. There are shortcomings in tactical skills of drivers on the autism spectrum, but the extent to which this affects their own safety or the safety of other road users is unclear. Tactical skills can be improved through training programs. There are few autism spectrum-specific learner training programs available. Development of an effective training program will benefit individuals on the spectrum to learn to drive, be independent, and be safe on the road.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 6842306 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Behavioural Neurology |
| Volume | 2018 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2018 Nathan J. Wilson et al.
Open Access - Access Right Statement
©2018 Nathan J. Wilson et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Keywords
- Australia
- autism spectrum disorders
- automobile driver education
- safety education