Driving with Asperger's

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Hello, I am 17 years old and aced my driver's ed test. I now have my permit and am still unsure whether or not I can or should drive because I tend to space out and my reaction time is slower than average. Are there others in my situation or that have autism/asperger's and drive?

I drive, took me 5 tries and nearly half a year to pass the exam however. My attention span isn't the greatest, as my passengers do notice that I space out and daydream during the drive.

It is variable. Some Asperger's Autists, like my late father and myself, are good drivers. Others have trouble focusing (perceptual problems) or understanding the "rules of the road."

Just do it man. Don't be a wimp. You'll do fine.

It helped me to get an automatic transmission,I passed the written test easy but I failed the driving test because I tried to start off from a stop sign in 2nd gear so it died of course then I panicked and had an awful time getting back started.I have some limitations,I can't drive well at night because the oncoming headlights hurt my eyes and blind me and I don't do heavy traffic very well,I get panicky.But I get around the closest small town well and I've never had a ticket.I do get distracted by passengers so I like to drive alone best.The more you do it the easier it becomes.

don't worry, I was scared myself when I first started driving but got over it and it became routine. I'm a horrible driver and reckless driver though but I don't know if this anything to do with aspergers and just me being an idiot.

No worries. Just take driving one task at a time...that's what I do - I break down the drive into small tasks that I can focus on instead of trying to get overwhelmed.
I have never had a wreck or been pulled over. *Knock on wood*

For example:
- put car in reverse. Ok, done,
- check both ways. Ok, done,
- Back out straight into the street. Ok, done,
- Continue at 25 mph to stop sign. Ok,
-Stop at stop sign and look both ways..

And so on.

So much better than letting it all happen at once. That increases chances of spacing out. If you have a task, you won't space.
Oh, and by the way, I do space out at stop signs/lights. I know it because people honk at me to go sometimes.

i try to be zen about my driving.

I drive... my only thing is I do not drive when I am stressed... just overwhelms me... but otherwise I am a rather good driver, if I do say so myself.

I am sure you will do just fine out there.

it took me decades to realize that i am in the lower half of driving skill, so i make allowances by avoiding heavy traffic and complicated urban driving situations.

Getting out and riding is like an instant mood-changer for me. Whatever mood I'm in when I start will become the complete opposite

Practice, and practice some more. If after you've done plenty of that you still feel you aren't good, then it's not for you and don't drive.

not driving was good enough for einstein.

The very fact that you're aware of your liabilities as a driver and are concerned enough to question taking the wheel already sets you a notch above most other drivers on the road, in my opinion. I ask my NT husband why people do some of the things they do, and he assures me that they aren't even thinking about it. He's trying to tell me it's nothing personal. What I hear is that they don't care about other drivers enough to make the effort.

Well, you will never know unless you try - practice loads and see how you get on, you will also find that you will get better with time. Some people just never take to it, and that's Okay too

You'll have to try to find out. I have a problem with that too, and what helps is: 1) don't use the radio or do anything else distracting, 2) don't haul ass (especially with worn/cheap tires or unfamiliar roads where your car might skid if you slam on the brakes, 3) don't drive too far and try to go home if possible if you are burning out.

The only other distractions I can think of is make an effort to ignore anything cool you see out your side windows or mirror (hot rod/girl, train, plane, accident/police activity, something really stupid, etc), don't lay on the windshield washer button and use it in short bursts so you can get a glimpse of what's going on, don't wash a dusty windshield or bug splat while driving into sun glare, try to breathe through your mouth if you are going to sneeze and do whatever it takes to get glimpses of what's going on ahead of you if you have a sneezing fit.

Last of all, never do something you are not comfortable doing no matter how long the a**hole behind you yells or lays on their horn- if something happens it goes on your DMV record, not theirs.