Learning to drive often brings up mixed emotions—hope, excitement, uncertainty, and sometimes anxiety. For autistic teens and adults, those feelings are real and understandable. A small, exciting study explored a new way to support readiness for driving that goes beyond just teaching road rules or steering skills. Instead, it intentionally brought emotional regulation and executive functioning skills together with practical driving practice to help learners feel more comfortable and capable.
In this pilot intervention, called the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Driving (CBID), researchers invited autistic teens and adults to participate in 10 weeks of group sessions focused on emotion regulation and executive functioning, paired with individualized practice on a driving simulator.
The results were encouraging. Participants reported more positive attitudes toward driving and greater interest in learning to drive after completing the program. Everyone who finished the intervention said they wanted to drive in the future, and many showed changes in their thoughts and behaviors about driving.
Perhaps most meaningful for many families: about half of the participants obtained a driver’s permit or license within two months after the intervention—a real step toward independence that hadn’t always felt possible before.
This kind of approach highlights something important: driving readiness isn’t only about technical skills or memorizing traffic signs. It also involves feeling emotionally grounded and confident, and learning how to navigate stress and decision-making in a way that supports success.
If you’re supporting a learner who feels anxious about driving, know this: addressing emotional skills alongside practice isn’t just comforting—it can help people move forward with confidence. For actionable steps, see my article What Emotional Regulation and Executive Skills Look Like in Everyday Driving Practice here.
Want to See the Research?
Baker-Ericzén, M. J., Smith, L., Tran, A., & Scarvie, K. (2021). A Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Driving for Autistic Teens and Adults: A Pilot Study. Autism in Adulthood, 3(2), 168–178. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.0009