ASD Driving Survey

[ASDDrivingStudy]

Hello everyone,

 

We are researchers at the University of Nottingham who are interested in the way that people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) learn to drive and experience driving once they have passed their test. Being able to drive is an important skill as it increases one’s mobility and independence, and can also allow for greater employment opportunities.

 

Although topics on forums like these suggest that people with ASD experience specific difficulties when driving, there has been little systematic investigation into this. Therefore, we have set-up an online survey to collect information from a large number of individuals with ASD.

 

The findings of the survey will be used to inform future research exploring driving skills in people with ASD and to help develop ways to improve the learning process. We are also aiming to set up a dedicated website with useful information about ASD and driving, which will include findings of the survey.

 

The survey is for anyone who has ever attempted to learn to drive, current learner drivers and people who have already passed their test. It is completely anonymous and should only take about 10 minutes to complete. This is the link to the survey:

 

http://tinyurl.com/ASDdrivingsurvey

 

Thank you very much for taking part!

 

If you have any questions or comments please contact Dr. Danielle Ropar (danielle.ropar@nottingham.ac.uk)

 

The Nottingham Autism Research Team

http://www.psycholog...k/research/art/

[trekster]

Filled it in but hoping you are funded by someone other than Autism Speaks.

[Lyndalou]

Filled it in but it doesn't seem particularly indepth. There was no option for anything other than official diagnosis so I left that part blank.

[raydon]

I wasn't sure about the multitasking question. It implied that controlling the car and coping with traffic are different tasks. If you can't do that then, damn, you really shouldn't be driving. I would consider talking, window shopping, texting, gawping at the passing talent, looking at yourself in the mirror etc. to be multitasking.

[watergirl]

Interesting survey......driving is one of the areas in which ASD affects me.......or more accurately it is other people's inability to drive logically that affects me.......other than that I'm as happy behind the wheel as I am anywhere.

[Sa Skimrande]

Interesting survey......driving is one of the areas in which ASD affects me.......or more accurately it is other people's inability to drive logically that affects me.......other than that I'm as happy behind the wheel as I am anywhere.

 

Yes, I answered to that effect also, other people and their inability to follow the highway code which they signed to say they would follow when they passed their test and where I get told by the police that by following the highway code I open myself to police suspicion as having something to hide.

[watergirl]

Yes......I know what you mean......if you drive at 30 in a 30 limit at 11.30pm then the law assume you are being "too careful" and want you to blow into something!....driving a VW bus in speed limits with ASD must be a nightmare

[trekster]

I wasn't sure about the multitasking question. It implied that controlling the car and coping with traffic are different tasks. If you can't do that then, damn, you really shouldn't be driving. I would consider talking, window shopping, texting, gawping at the passing talent, looking at yourself in the mirror etc. to be multitasking.

 

Unless they mean following verbal instructions or ones from a sat nav and processing them into physical actions?

[raydon]

Unless they mean following verbal instructions or ones from a sat nav and processing them into physical actions?

Could be, that is another interpretation of the question. I suppose this just goes to highlight the importance of how the questions are worded especially as the survey is aimed at people on the spectrum, some of whom can take things very literally.

Edited November 27, 2012 by raydon

[Mike_GX101]

It was an interesting survey although the questions were a little too assuming that you could give a totally accurate answer. More often than not we may not even know ourselves exactly how we're affected on each of the attributes and it should be the role of the questionnaire to ascertain how accurate the answers given actually are.

[Mike_GX101]

One way ASD might affect me though is my insistence with always driving within the speed limits which apparently irritates a lot of other motorists as I slow down for every 30 and 20 speed limit sign. Some days it's as if I'm the only one aware of the speed limits. Tailgaters used to cause me a lot of distress but to be honest if they want to get past then that's their business and to be honest it's a relief when they do overtake - let them hassle someone else!

 

Despite the fact that I stay within the speed limits I still get very anxious when I see a speed camera coming up and will often slow down even more despite already driving clearly within the limit to start with. I get quite anxious with any journey where I know there are loads of speed cameras on the route despite the fact I keep within the speed limits.

Edited November 27, 2012 by Mike_GX101

[Sa Skimrande]

I don't get anxious with speed cameras because I am always driving within the speed limit, what bothers me is other road users and their erratic actions when they believe there is a chance they may be caught for doing something wrong and the motorway phenomenom one sees when there is a marked police car driving, everyone suddenly remembers their highway code, where I get anxious in this situation and usually slow down further to put distance between myself and the knot of sudden perfect drivers. But my attitude is, what is behind me is their problem, not mine and I will not be pushed by tailgaters and they can if they want collide with my vehicle but on their head be it.

[Shnoing]

Re. speed limits I've learned the rule to "go with the flow" in order not to slow down lots of other drivers. There exist more rules than just those made by the government ...

[trekster]

I'm a bit confused here by your 'go with the flow' and as your outside the UK motoring rules could be very different there.

Are you suggesting i break the speed limit? i never go above 10% over the limit as i know that is allowed when calculating speed. Only once has it been necessary to do 55mph in a 40mph zone. The sun was in my eyes from behind and i couldn't see how far behind me the approaching car was on an adjoining road. i was then beeped aggressively to which i responded once they overtook me down the road. im thinking 'er pass plater here sun in my eyes what am i expected to do?' (rhetorical)

[Isobel]

Speeding is sometimes forced and sometimes isn't. I was once caught doing 35 in a new 30 zone (used to be 40 and due to lack of signs I still thought it was) by a speed trap van. Fortunately they let me on my way with a warning and a breathalyser test which of course came back clean as the only time I have a tipple is at Christmas, and this was coming back from work. So next week I'm coming through a known 30 zone area and police car comes up behind me so I steady down, and he overtakes me and drives off way over the limit. I mean, why follow the speed limits if police can't set an example?

[Sa Skimrande]

The role of the road law enforcers is to

 

a ) ensure driving standards do not cause a problem to others.

 

and

 

b ) make money

 

Where part b appears to be the motivating factor these days as blind they are to many offences that happen around them even their own as they break laws for no good reason other than the belief they are the law or above it. Where I understand if the flashing lights and sirens are not on they have to abide by the law as the law applies to them as well, but most ignore the law as on the road they are god and that is that.

 

But anyone can do it and I have done it before, driving at the indicated maximum speed limit a police car in front of me was pulling quickly away so I noted the registration and where I was and reported the car to the police by letter. I got a reply to say thank you for notifying them that the police have to follow the law too and speeding in a marked zone they agreed was not setting a good example and so disciplinary action was being taken. Whether it was I don't know but a complaint made has to be responded to, that is the law, but at least a wake up call that some of the public are watching the police and it does not do their image good for them to be seen breaking the law when it is not warranted. At one time I tried to get into Lancashire Constabulary and so to be clued up I read what the police advised me to read and so I understand they have to operate within the law too.

 

But that was in the past when I believed in the police, now I don't and so expect them to abuse whatever they want as they have become a law unto themselves in most cases where the name of the game is not public safety, it is personal record sheets and how much revenue they can squeeze out of people because people do understand don't they, we exist to be fined for our country makes money from us through the contract we have with them.

 

A bit anarchistic, but it does make you think ;

 

 

 

But following my run in with the police a few months back where I believe I was abused I have taken advice for future reference which includes the fact that I have high functioning autism it is classed as learning difficulties and so the police know such a person is required to have a competent person with them when the police are interviewing them to avoid communicational issues of which autistics are known to have, it is one of the standard criteria for autism and furthermore as long as you tell the police you are doing it you are entitled to record the conversation, but in recording that also protects them in that with a recording being made they are unlikely to abuse their privilege. I have also chatted with many ex police one of whom was an ex chief superintendant regards the issue including the citizen's advice bureau, they all agree the young copper abused his privilege and I have been informed by all not to trust the police and that coming from ex police is pretty condemning and so I don't anymore, I have learned my lesson they are out there along with the criminals in my mind, both equally threatening.

Edited December 7, 2012 by Sa Skimrande

[Mike_GX101]

I'm a bit confused here by your 'go with the flow' and as your outside the UK motoring rules could be very different there.

Are you suggesting i break the speed limit? i never go above 10% over the limit as i know that is allowed when calculating speed. Only once has it been necessary to do 55mph in a 40mph zone. The sun was in my eyes from behind and i couldn't see how far behind me the approaching car was on an adjoining road. i was then beeped aggressively to which i responded once they overtook me down the road. im thinking 'er pass plater here sun in my eyes what am i expected to do?' (rhetorical)

I have experienced this too where some drivers seem oblivious to road conditions and will actively tailgate even in hazardous conditions like thick fog and ice. I get worried when such drivers are behind me. Then there are those who overtake in unbelievably stupid places on blind corners leaving you shaking your head in sheer horror while you very gingerly put space between yourself and the poor drivers who are being overtaken in front. I have seen it happen and hear about head-on collisions all the time in the news. And yet such people never seem perturbed by such news...it's like preaching to those who smoke 20+ a day from cigarette boxes that read "smoking kills".

 

Then there are those who aggressively tailgate in built-up areas (often at night with their beams on full); they know the roads, they know there are speed cameras on them but they disappear or slow down completely as the unsuspecting (having been tailgated for 5 miles) triggers a camera for speeding due to the fluster the tailgating caused. There are also those who get aggressive when the traffic slows in front of them and decide to overtake the lot without a moment's thought for the safety of everyone as if it's 'do or die' or some kind of sport.

 

Bring back common-sense policing; bring more police onto our roads in place of cameras which cannot decipher 'accidental' from 'deliberate' and certainly aren't 'going with the flow' of the traffic and aren't aware of the traffic conditions at play. For example large slow-moving commercial vehicles have a duty to pull up every now and then to let traffic built up behind them past. But many do not do this and this creates frustration especially when it creates lateness and possible job losses further up the road which can impact the economy. Sadly cameras can do nothing about these sorts of things. But more police on our roads instead sure could.

Edited December 8, 2012 by Mike_GX101

[Sa Skimrande]

Cameras are more about revenue generation than road safety and yes they do put them near black spots but at the same time they hide them around corners after straight run ups.

 

But with police numbers cut by about 2500 so far and more cuts to come driving stands to become more dangerous, but we will see more cameras soon.

[trekster]

Well said Mike and Ska Skinrande, what really annoys me is that speeding ticket money should be used to improve the road conditions.

 

Near my house on neighbouring towns we have road signs that are either hidden in trees (such as the 20mph temporary resurfacing limit) or are less than 50meters apart and say different amounts. Why put a 40mph reminder sign 50 metres before a new 30mph limit?

Really really stupid road layouts, also road signs that imply you need to turn sooner than you do or were temporary but haven't been changed for a more permanent one such as the centre of Bristol.

[sesley]

my 13 year old is interested in the car now,he rides shotgun on a booster seat and studys the controls and i explain about the stop lines to giveway the indicators . He chats away about the car snd yesturday about the emergency lights on the dash board and how they blink on and off when they are neededso he is showing interest. He is quite good now at how to safely cross a road, i think in time he will be able to learn to drive,i hope he does,its another normal part of living in this world and we are now about helping him to learn and grow up to lead a independant life.

Edited December 8, 2012 by sesley

[Sa Skimrande]

There is too much road clutter that is for sure, useless signs in useless places telling the obvious, I understand it is one of the goals of this questionable government to thin the signs out a bit and get rid of what is clearly useless, confusing and distracting.

 

But to indicate the wastage involved in these signs, they can cost well over a grand to place, that is tax payers money so eagerly wasted by our local authorities and to think most of the time they say they don't have the money to repair the road or cut the foliage away from important road furniture. But then if we don't say, we cannot stop this practice of littering the roads with useless signage in which case disagree with a sign's indication or placement and tackle the council about it as it is your money being wasted on confusing you.

[Isobel]

my 13 year old is interested in the car now,he rides shotgun on a booster seat and studys the controls and i explain about the stop lines to giveway the indicators . He chats away about the car snd yesturday about the emergency lights on the dash board and how they blink on and off when they are neededso he is showing interest. He is quite good now at how to safely cross a road, i think in time he will be able to learn to drive,i hope he does,its another normal part of living in this world and we are now about helping him to learn and grow up to lead a independant life.

Hope I don't sound rude, but I was well out of a booster seat by 13 years old.

[sesley]

its cause he is small and the belt should go over the shoulder and not rest on his neck.this is a safety tip i got from a open day at our local fire station years ago.The booster seat makes the belt rest across his shoulder over his chest and across his abdomen if that makes any sense.

Edited December 9, 2012 by sesley

[Shnoing]

I'm a bit confused here by your 'go with the flow' and as your outside the UK motoring rules could be very different there.

Are you suggesting i break the speed limit? ...

The rules are the same. What I meant was that there exists a second set of rules, which is not set by the government, but by the majority of drivers, all of whose go faster than they should on certain roads. E.g.: never be the first to break the speed limit, follow someone else, when they slow down you can assume that there's a speed camera which the other one knows about.

[Canopus]

Has any research been carried out into ASD and driving vehicles other than cars?

 

I have a category C1 on my driving licence which is a 7.5 tonne lorry. Category B covers cars and vans up to 3.5 tonnes. I have never taken a driving test in a category C1 vehicle but everyone who took a car test before the theory test came in had C1 included as standard. Are there any safety issues with people with ASD? Should an ASD diagnosis result in removing the C1 from a driving licence and only restoring after passing a test in a category C1 vehicle?

[trekster]

The rules are the same. What I meant was that there exists a second set of rules, which is not set by the government, but by the majority of drivers, all of whose go faster than they should on certain roads. E.g.: never be the first to break the speed limit, follow someone else, when they slow down you can assume that there's a speed camera which the other one knows about.

 

i find that hard to believe, considering a friend of mine ot a ticked for speeding and he was following traffic. Annoyingly a week later they increased the speed limit. Sticking with my up to 10% speed for now.

[Sa Skimrande]

The speed limits on roads exist for a reason, they are not there to annoy drivers they are there because that is the maximum speed that road is rated at in terms of safety, to go over the speed limit just because someone else is, is breaking the law and you deserve to be caught and punished accordingly, this go with the flow is breaking the law plain and simple and showing no concern for other road user's safety.

 

But if people slowed down and stuck under the speed limit, I wonder would accidents actually be such a problem and every rising insurance premiums, but no everyone wants to put the pedal to metal and go fast, when in reality how fast has got to go to arrive at a destination in say half the time, otherwise there's no point as a few minutes saving is not a good reason to risk other people's lives.

 

If rules are unwritten, they don't exist.

[Sa Skimrande]

And yes given I passed my driving test in 1985 I also have C1 for a 7.5t truck and trailer and have driven one loaded with an excavator towing another excavator, it scared the hell out of me driving that, but I was licensed to drive it and the company I worked for took advantage of that fact, I was only one of two in the company licensed to drive the combination and the driver was off sick, so I got the job- operational necessity and I didn't crash it or hit anything.

[robert7111a]

One of the problems is speed cameras where the traffic might be flowing 5 - 10% over the speed limit until a speed camera is spotted whereupon everyone suddenly brakes harshly. It pays to be a safe distance behind the car in front

[Sa Skimrande]

That's why I drive like a snail most of the time and apply the two second rule all the time and yes people do overtake and reduce my two second gap and so I just let off the gas to create the gap again as I understand it's my fault if I hit the car in front by not having enough thinking and stopping distance and it has already been identified with psychometric testing to do with the AS diagnosis, I have below average thinking speed, so armed with this information I am very aware out there on the road and I will say driving does scare me and that I know because whenever I have driven, I am very thirsty afterwards as I know when I get stressed I get thirsty.

 

But my issues with driving are aimed at the road authorities, the police who take my careful and considerate driving as an indication that I am hiding something as their last words to me on one such occasion was no one drives like that therefore we will suspect you of having something to hide and in warm weather that means you are a drink driver because it is a fact those that are intoxicated drive like I do.

 

The other reason I drive slowly is in accordance with a manifold pressure vacuum gauge I have installed on my dashboard because of a low income I need my fuel to go as far as possible and it is from tests I have carried out over a period of months using the vacuum gauge, when I drive in accordance with it I get 18 miles more to a gallon of petrol, that is a big difference to me and it's not about slow, it is about steady and relaxed use of throttle and gears also known as why accelerate sharply when you don't need to and especially if you know you are going to have to slow down and stop very shortly as is common in town driving.

 

But car speedometers are not accurate devices and they vary in what accuracy they do have due to construction quality, wear and tyre pressures, so as to speed limits one generally has a leeway of about ten percent, which is probably about right, so in areas where there are active speed controls it pays to keep one's speed or should that be velocity a few points beneath the maximum speed limit if one wants to take advantage of the maximum rated speed for the road.

 

But if one should get caught by a mobile or fixed speed camera, demand the serial number of the camera or other device as you have the right to it and once furnished with that demand to see the current calibration certificate as it is a thing many are not up on the management of calibration requirements through lack of care and cost as it's not cheap to get calibration done and of the mobile devices myself having worked in a calibration cell I know rough treatment can knock the calibration out as every hand held speed enforcement device that came in for calibration every one of them was way out of specification and then one wonders how many people had been caught by an out of cal device where it is highly possible they were not breaking the speed limit at all, but conversely could have been way over the speed limit higher than the indicated speed. But if the device does not have a valid calibration certificate evidence produced by that device is not valid and so cannot be used to prosecute or extract fines. Know your rights, because if you don't you will be abused.

[Canopus]

There is at least one person with an official diagnosis of AS who has a full category G and H for a road roller and tracked vehicle on their licence. He doesn't drive the vehicles everyday as part of a job but is involved from time to time in some restoration of historic machinery.

[Sa Skimrande]

There is at least one person with an official diagnosis of AS who has a full category G and H for a road roller and tracked vehicle on their licence. He doesn't drive the vehicles everyday as part of a job but is involved from time to time in some restoration of historic machinery.

 

And there, we are totally incapable, in fact we are probably safer because we have a tendency to follow the rules.

[Shnoing]

And there, we are totally incapable, in fact we are probably safer because we have a tendency to follow the rules.

On the other hand, the following of the rules might be motivated by the feeling of being incapable or at least unsure.

 

I often wonder why those totally stupid and reckless drivers don't have MORE accidents ...

[Sa Skimrande]

On the other hand, the following of the rules might be motivated by the feeling of being incapable or at least unsure.

 

I often wonder why those totally stupid and reckless drivers don't have MORE accidents ...

 

Nope, not with me, not out on the road, I have crashed once, been crashed into twice and been in a car where it ended up on it's roof skating down the road. My crash was when I first started driving, I was following the rules, another wasn't and I ended up crashing into the back of a parked van, cars that have crashed into me weren't following the rules and the driver of the car that went on it's roof definitely wasn't following the rules, he was drunk. I drive slowly and defensively and do my best to keep away from everyone else, and when I get a tailgater, I let them pass when I am able, but I follow the rules because they exist for a reason, it is just a pity very few others do.

 

But those that drive recklessly..... I was in my sister's car once and the way she drove, well crashes happened behind her, the stuff she did, but a Fast VW Golf she used that throttle with gusto and where I would stop and wait, no not her. She has since calmed down a bit, but she has never been in a crash, maybe her driving kept her away from such happenings where my careful driving I came unstuck, so maybe that's it reckless drives cause crashes but are not in them themselves.

[Aeolienne]

Getting back to the survey, I am disappointed that the author is only interested in accidents which happened in the past year. I for one am still traumatised by accidents which happened much longer ago (see earlier post).

[Mihaela]

Me too. I had a bad accident years ago due a blackout (hyperglycaemia) and I've never driven since. I'm quite happy not having a car as I always found driving stressful. I also feel much healthier.

[dotmarsdotcom]

I wish someone would do a survey of normal peoples driving capabilities.

 

I parked the motor in the multi storie the other day,

 

and noticed as I was getting out, a person parking next to me in a really odd misaligned fashion.

 

I was in a hurry though, so didn't have to time to think about it.

 

I went back after having done my shopping.

 

She'd gone, but left an enormous scrape down the rear left door of my motor.

 

grrr!

 

and no note of apology or insurance details under the wiper. nothing.

 

I went to security to see if they might of had her plate on their videos, but no luck.

 

rant rant lol

Edited November 8, 2014 by dotmarsdotcom