Self-reported challenges in the driving license process for adolescents with ADHD and ASD

• Individuals with ADHD and ASD face challenges throughout the driving license process. • Early challenges are applying for a learners permit and finding a suitable driving school. • Individuals with ADHD have a worse experience of the theoretical test. • Compared to controls, the diagnosis groups are more willing to share their challenges. • Effective communication is crucial to meet the needs of each student driver. Around 10 percent of Swedish students have neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), such as ADHD and ASD and the numbers have been increasing. Individuals with NDD tend to face more challenges in driving and driver training compared to others. Swedish authorities are currently reviewing the driver education system to increase drivers’ awareness of risks and environmental considerations. To ensure that the new curriculum better accommodates the needs of individuals with NDD, this study aims to explore the challenges faced by autistic individuals and individuals with ADHD during the driver’s license process, as well as their willingness to share these challenges with educators and driving examiners. A questionnaire study was conducted among individuals either in the process of obtaining their driver’s license or who had recently obtained it. Out of 217 respondents, 34 had ADHD, 14 had ASD, and 24 had both ADHD and ASD. This study offers novel insights into the challenges during the driving license process for individuals with NDD. Results show that individuals with ADHD and ASD seeking a driver’s license encounter challenges throughout the process, especially those with ADHD or a combination of ADHD and ASD. Respondents in the diagnosis groups are more willing to share their challenges, suggesting their awareness of the benefits. Still, there is an important discrepancy between wanting to share and knowing when to. Since driving simulators can create specific training scenarios and have proven effective in improving driving performance, practicing reported challenges such as positioning, task switching, and rule adherence in a driving simulator could help reduce challenges for driver students with NDD. Individual variations make effective communication crucial to reducing challenges in the driver’s license process for individuals with NDD. Therefore, alternative communication methods, such as for example simplified language, should be further explored, alongside the implementation of a mandatory information sheet addressing individual challenges for all learner’s permit applicants.