Motivation And How It Relates To Being Autistic And Learning To Drive

Motivation is a vital component of learning to drive. Without the want to learn, it’s hard to provide the energy and dedication it takes to really learn to drive. This is even more true for autistic individuals since learning to drive includes unexpected and unique challenges. Because of this, it is always important to consider and explore multiple sources of motivation. It can be extremely beneficial to take the time to explore what works as a source of motivation, particularly relating to learning to drive. Learning to drive can open up so many new doors, but they must be explored and understood in order to create a sense of excitement and investment. And excitement and investment lead to motivation. When effectively motivated, we autistic individuals can often do things we never thought possible, and even surprise those around us.

Out of the new drivers we’ve talked too, we’ve found three common themes within motivations for driving. The first motivator is employment, being able to find employment while not having to face transportation barriers. The second motivator is being able to engage in a college experience, potentially by attending a college that is far away from home. The third motivator is simply having the freedom to travel as one pleases. Being able to drive around your community and see friends is sometimes all you need to be motivated.

Motivation is especially important because learning to drive can be a journey with a lot of different steps. From going to the DMV to taking driver's tests, to filling out the paperwork required to get a learner's permit, this journey can wear any driver out if they aren’t continuously motivated to get their license! This can be even more true when it comes to developing different driving skills such as parallel parking, making K-turns, and other skills that require a lot of practice and dedication to learn.

This is why the first topic we cover in our webinar Training Series is Motivation. We discuss the opportunities involved with learning to drive as well as the skills one will develop whether they end up driving or not. In this particular course, we discuss why transportation is important and the barriers that can prevent someone from driving. Strategies for combatting those barriers are discussed as well. Motivation cannot be understated in its importance to learning to drive, don’t forget to give it the attention it deserves!

If you are interested in our Webinar series for Driving With Autism and the other topics it covers you can learn more here.

Contact us for autism-centered virtual education driving school training.