Neurodivergence and Driving: navigating the road while Dyspraxic, ADHD or Autistic

jbotuk
6 days ago
1 min read

I am tempted to make some lame jokes about how learning to drive 'drove me mad' or was the 'road to Hell', but let's just say it was tricky!

Many neurodivergent individuals excel at driving, such as professional racing driver Bobby Trundley, NASCAR driver Armani Williams, and international karting driver Elliott Shaw.

However, many struggle with this task. This is not an intelligence issue; it is not a common-sense issue; it is a processing difference. Understanding this, using task analysis allows us to be kinder to ourselves, and over the years, it has made me a much safer driver.

So what is task analysis? In occupational therapy, we use this process to break down an activity into smaller steps and analyse the motor, sensory, cognitive and environmental factors required to complete it. It helps us to make sense of any barriers an individual might face and work collaboratively to overcome these.

The following information can help you better understand why driving can be such a challenge. I have also included some helpful hints and tips to make the process less stressful.