A Literature Review of the Likely Effects of Autism Spectrum Disorder on Adolescent Driving Abilities

Abstract

Young drivers are consistently overrepresented in road-crash statistics globally. Increased road-risk for young drivers is principally associated with age and driving inexperience, however this risk can be further increased for young drivers with autism spectrum disorder through autism-related characteristics and comorbidities. Using a systematic literature review, this study reviewed the extant literature on drivers with autism, and how their driving abilities and experiences are potentially affected by their symptoms. The literature revealed that drivers with autism (particularly males) were less likely to identify social hazards (e.g., pedestrians), had slower reaction times, more tactical driving difficulties, reported more traffic crashes, citations and intentional driving violations, and had poorer situation awareness skills than drivers without autism. Such driving-related challenges can be concerning and require strategic approaches.