Be Mature
Learning to drive a car is often looked at as a step towards independence . Autistic individuals can certainly learn to be safe , defensive drivers if they choose to do so , but for some , the desire to drive alone may not be enough . There are some aspects of driving that may give autistic individuals additional challenges . This article will break down some of these areas as well as offer first-hand perspectives from several autistic adults .
Physical Coordination
The physical abilities most often associated with safe driving include strength , range of motion of extremities , and trunk and head / neck mobility . While power steering and brakes ( and other vehicle adaptations ) may assist drivers , maneuvering a vehicle still requires a great deal of physical coordination . Proprioception , the ability to move your limbs without looking at them , is also vital for driving . For example , a driver must be able to keep his eyes on the road while simultaneously adjusting his arms and hands on the steering wheel and applying the appropriate amount of pressure to the pedals to maintain speed . For those who need to observe their limbs to successfully accomplish tasks , they would have to look down at their feet , for example , every time they want to change from gas to brake or stare at their arms if they want to make a right-hand turn . This type of distraction can make driving nearly impossible . The good news is that coordination and proprioception can be improved with practice much in the same way a concert pianist can play incredibly complex music with her eyes closed because she has trained the muscles and proprioceptive sense of her fingers to be precise enough for the task .
Be Mature
“ When I was 15 , I started Drivers Ed , and I did not take it seriously enough and nearly got into a serious accident . Once a person with autism is mature enough , it would be wise to take the intermediate step of using a simulator or a driving game to get the feel of what challenges are present when driving . Learning to drive should be a more gradual process ; [ start ] in an area that is less congested and poses fewer challenges . Also , from my own experiences , I have to make myself more aware of my surroundings when driving . As for sensory , this is something that needs to be addressed before a person with autism goes on the road .”
:: John Miller , autistic selfadvocate , special education teacher , public speaker and author of the book Decoding Dating .
ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses 9