B1E: Rethinking Driver Readiness for Neurodiverse Learners

Traditional driver education often assumes that learners can transfer classroom knowledge to the car, tolerate traffic pressure, respond to brief verbal correction, and practice safely with family members. For many autistic, ADHD, anxious, or otherwise neurodiverse learners, those assumptions may not hold. This session explores the driver readiness gap and offers practical ways families, CARD professionals, vocational rehabilitation providers, educators, and community partners can identify readiness barriers, support preparation, and connect learners with appropriate training pathways, including simulation-based options before behind-the-wheel instruction.

Learning Outcomes:

Identify common points where traditional driver education may fail to meet the needs of autistic, ADHD, anxious, and otherwise neurodiverse learners.

Describe how anxiety, sensory load, executive-function demands, processing speed, and literal interpretation can affect driver readiness and behind-the-wheel performance.

Compare flat-panel simulation and immersive virtual reality simulation as tools for assessing readiness, identifying triggers, and preparing learners for behind-the-wheel instruction.

Apply practical questions families, CARD professionals, vocational rehabilitation providers, and community partners can use to help determine whether a learner may need additional preparation before public-road driving.

Speakers