An A to F for Neurodivergent Drivers
Hello, I’m Beth!
Some facts about me:
Firstly, I’m an occupational therapist, working with neurodivergent children. Secondly, I have dyspraxia amongst other neurodivergent conditions. Finally, I am a car driver! I passed my test when I was 23 years old (so about 20 years ago!) and unfortunately, I developed a driving phobia for about 8 years where I felt too scared to drive… I overcame this and you can too.
You might be reading this as you know a young neurodivergent person who is considering driving lessons but isn’t sure whether this is a good idea. Or, you might be a neurodivergent adult (diagnosed or undiagnosed) who has always wanted to drive but is nervous about the prospect.
Please find below in nice easy-read chunks, my A to F of driving as a neurodivergent person:
A is for Accessibility
Ask around for recommendations of driving instructors who are neurodivergent-friendly (local Facebook groups are a good source). You will want someone who is kind, patient and understands neurodivergent brains.
A is also for Automatic. I highly recommend going for an automatic car rather than a manual one. It is much easier to drive rather than worrying about gears and the clutch.
B is for Books
Knowledge is power. Equip yourself with knowledge about road rules and signs, before you go. It will take time to learn these, but that’s ok. You’ll need to learn the Highway Code which you can buy or borrow from the library.
C is for Control
Trying to cope with things outside my control was one of my hardest things as a learner. Other drivers and pedestrians all worried me as they sometimes did unexpected things. My advice? Focus on what you can control. For example, the brakes and keeping your speed low. Let other people drive stupidly if they want to!
D is for Day
Choose a time and day of the week for lessons when you have the most energy (e.g. Thursdays are not good days for me!) The same goes for your test. You will feel more confident as a result.
E is for Experience
The first time you get into a car on the driver’s side, you may be very anxious. This is normal and it will take experience and lots of practice for these feelings to reduce, but they will! Find a trusted person to practice with before taking your test, as well as formal lessons from a qualified instructor.
F is for Fear - feel this and do it anyway.
Anxiety is a pesky thing which sits in our brain and delivers a stream of thoughts saying “you can’t do this.” As a teenager, my parents told me I would never learn to drive. Well… I proved them wrong and passed my test at 23 years of age. I passed the second time around (like most people!). Considering driving? Try it. Anxiety will grumble, but it does that with most things!
My final thoughts on driving … other people are not you. Who cares if your mother’s cousin’s neighbour is neurodivergent and took 10 attempts to pass?
You know your own strengths. Build on these and work on your weaknesses.
You’ve got this!
Ready to take your first step on your driving journey? Here is an Amazon affiliate link to the Official Highway Code: https://amzn.to/4qESX0q
This means we take a small amount of the proceeds from a sale which we use to further our training on neurodiversity; to keep our blog running and to create free resources, like posters, for those who need them.
