People in the spectrum are not just welcome to work in companies but also down the road with their wheels rolling! People with great hearts continuously find ways to let the special people live their lives to the limits. Researchers at Vanderbilt University want to develop ways so that people in the spectrum can enjoy driving safely like any other driver in the world.
The team worked with a Brandon Roberson, 16, who has ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome, NBC reports. The study went through by tracking his reactions to a driving simulator which monitors even the little shift of the eyes and heart beat whenever the speed rises or falls. "It's made me notice what I've never noticed before that I didn't think I would have to look out for when driving," Brandon says to NBC.
Researchers from Drexel University unveils the fact that "on average, adults with autism earn their drivers' licenses at later ages, drive less frequently and put more restrictions on their driving. These self-imposed limits include not driving on highways or at night. Adult drivers with autism also reported more traffic violations, on average, than did a comparison group of drivers without autism."
The challenge now is to have the people in the spectrum drive a machine that would specially cater their own style of driving. Nonetheless, it is still a reality today that driving is not a skill for all people with autism. The National Autistic Society affirms that some will not be able to grasp the driving skills while some can be really competent drivers.
In UK, the normal minimum age for driving is 17 but in case of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) higher rate mobility, the kid can learn to drive at 16. In some states in the US allow driving at the age of 14, 16, or 21.
High-functioning individuals with autism surely can manage driving and should be given the chance to drive. Everyone hopes that the researchers will finally find ways to upgrade their gears for more convenient and safe driving.
