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How to keep your teenager safe while driving if they have autism and ADHD

by | Nov 19, 2023 | Parenting

Teenage girl buckling her seat belt before she drives

As parents, we all worry about our teenagers driving and keeping safe. But when you have an autistic teenager with ADHD, you have an extra level of concern given some of the additional challenges your teen may have. So what steps can you take to keep your teenager safe driving when they have autism and ADHD?

Why driving is more challenging for autistic and ADHD teenage drivers

First, let’s discuss why driving may be more challenging for those who are autistic and have ADHD. These challenges can include:

  • Being heavily rules bound – this can be a good thing. It also can be bad when your autistic teen is driving. Autistics tend to believe others will follow the rules of the road and can be caught off guard when many drivers don’t. For example, my friend’s son who is autistic was in an automobile accident because he went on a green at a stoplight and didn’t wait for a car running the red light to clear the intersection. He said that it was green, and he was adamant that it was his turn to go. Defensive driving is so important to driving safety, and many autistic drivers struggle with it.
  • Losing focus due to distractions – those with ADHD deal with distraction and lack of focus. Those can be deadly when someone is driving. Keeping your teen focused on the road can be challenging.
  • Lacking coordination – some autistic people have difficulty with fine motor skill. Those play important roles in the hand, eye and foot coordination needed for driving a car. Working with an occupational therapist could help improve these skills.
  • Having to make quick decisions – when you are driving, you have to make split-second decisions in many instances that could mean avoiding an accident. Teens with autism and ADHD can lack the ability to make decisions quickly. That can play into their driving safety.
  • Dealing with sensory issues – many people with autism have sensitivities to light and sound. That can have a big effect on their driving abilities. For example, they may have difficulty driving with loud emergency vehicles coming at them. Another example is they also may have challenges when the sun is shining brightly in the direction they are driving.
  • Being impatient with traffic delays – we all get annoyed when we are delayed due to slow traffic because of construction, an accident or other road issue. However, many autistic/ADHD teens and young adults may have difficulty controlling their emotions of being frustrated and angry in these situations.

Invest in driving lessons for your teenager with autism and ADHD

Toy bus and van with post-it notes saying "driving lesson" with intersection drawing and stickers of street signs. How can you help your teenager with autism stay safe while driving?

One of the best things you can do to help your autistic/ADHD teen with safe driving is to invest time and money in driving lessons for them once you have determined they are ready to drive.

My son J has his learner’s permit and is working with an occupational therapist who is giving him driving lessons through a program covered by Vocational Rehabilitation. In addition, we had him complete the online driver’s education course through a local driving academy. He also has taken six hours of driving instruction with them. In all, he will end up with more than 40 hours of formal driving instruction. This is in addition to practicing driving with us.

It helps me as a parent know that he is learning to drive from professionals who are trained to teach teenagers and young adults how to drive.

Technology can help with driving safety

While technology can be a distraction with driving when used inappropriately, there are also many ways that it can help your teen with autism and ADHD stay safe while driving. Here are some ways technology helps with driving:

  • Newer cars include a lot of safety technology in them, including back-up video cameras (which almost all vehicles have if they were made after May 2018), lane change detection, electronic stability control and even automatic braking in some cars.
  • There are many apps that could help your teen with focusing on the road while they are driving. Most Android and iPhone phones allow you to set a message to reply to any text messages that note you are unavailable while driving. Many apps also will go into car or drive mode when it is connected to the car and detects it in motion.
    • Parents can set up apps that allow them to monitor their teens’ driving. Some include:
      • Bouncie – this has a device portal that you place in your teen’s car and monitors driving history, trip tracking, speed, harsh braking and more
      • Famisafe – this app is installed on your and your teen’s devices and can provide driving reports, location tracking and more. You set up driving rules, and the app will alert you if any are being violated while your teen is driving.
      • Mamabear – with this app, you can receive speeding alerts when your teen is driving too fast (or riding in a car that is going too fastDrivescribe – this Android app blocks phone calls, text messages and email notifications while you are driving. It also tracks your performance while driving and provides you with your statistics to help you drive better and safer.

Other ways to keep your teen safe while driving if they have autism and ADHD

Teen boy sitting in driver seat in a car. How can you keep your teen with autism and ADHD safe while driving?

What are some other things you can do to help ensure your teen with autism and ADHD is driving safely?

  • Teach them what to do if their car breaks down or they have a flat tire. Ensure you include roadside assistance numbers in their contacts on their cell phone so they can call for help. Make sure they have an emergency kit in the trunk of their car and also a blanket, flashlight, car safety hammer and first aid kit.
  • Include a phone charger in their car in case their battery is running low. You want them to have a fully charged phone in case of emergencies.
  • Emphasize the importance of not texting or using their phone while driving. If they need to make a call or send a text message, teach them to pull off into a safe parking lot to use their phone if something is urgent. Otherwise, they can wait until they reach their destination to check their phone.
  • Set up a phone holder in their car to use GPS for directions to their destination. That way they can see it hands free and listen to the navigation instructions.
  • Add a compass to their dashboard if their car doesn’t have one. This will help them know for sure which way they are traveling.
  • Have them drive familiar routes when possible until they get more experience and are comfortable with driving less familiar routes.

Additional resources

Looking for additional resources on this topic? Take a look at these.

Botocar New Driver Magnet for Car (affiliate link)

The Driving Book: Everything New Drivers Need to Know but Don’t Know to Ask (affiliate link)

Roadside Assistance Emergency Car Kit (affiliate link)

Magsafe Car Mount Charger 15W Fast Charging Wireless Car Charger with Strong Magnetic Adjustable Air Vent Phone Holder (affiliate link)

THINKWORK Car Safety Hammer, 3-in-1 Emergency Escape Tool (affiliate link)

What experience have you had in keeping your teen with autism and ADHD safe while driving? Share your additional tips in the comments so that we can encourage and support one another on this journey!