Development and feasibility of a driving training program for Autistic student drivers.

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Occupational Therapy
• Driver Rehabilitation

Background:

• Autistic individuals face lower driving licensing rates, impacting community mobility and independence.
• Existing driver training lacks autism-specific guidance, creating a barrier to skill acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an autism-specific Driving Training Program (DTP).
• To enhance the likelihood of autistic student drivers safely learning to drive and obtaining a license.

Main Methods:

• A modified stepped approach was used to develop the DTP intervention, grounded in the Goals for Driving Education framework.
• A pre-post-test design study (n=5) assessed driving performance, followed by interviews and surveys (n=12) for feasibility and acceptability.

Main Results:

• Autistic student drivers showed significant improvements in driving performance, confirming the DTP's feasibility.
• Participants found the intervention acceptable and suggested refinements for program components.

Conclusions:

• The autism-specific Driving Training Program (DTP) is a feasible intervention for training autistic drivers.
• The DTP intervention is suitable for further evaluation in a larger randomized controlled trial after incorporating participant feedback.