Statistics on autistic drivers

It took me three attempts to pass my driving test, and not because I was a bad driver by any means (I'm actually better than most people and, on the rare occasion I do drive, my passengers always comment how good I am); it was due to two main factors:

1. I had no interest in learning (or practising), but my parents insisted that I did (this all happened several years prior to my ASD diagnosis).
2. I couldn't (and still can't) parallel park or reverse park because my brain can't process which way to turn the steering wheel when I'm looking behind me and moving backwards, so I had to wait until I had a test which didn't feature either of these manoeuvres.

Even after passing, I never drove that much so it's never become the 'unconscious competence' that people often refer to. As such, I find it extremely stressful, and physically and mentally draining, and my driving license is nothing more than a form of photo ID to me. Also, I'd much rather spend the car/tax/petrol money on more valuable things, like my mortgage, so there's no real impetus for me to develop my skills, and I personally believe the sooner we all give up our cars and work from home, the better our air quality will be.

I'm perfectly happy on a motorway/dual carriage way, I just really struggle with all the traffic, navigation and parking around urban areas because I'm too anxious and exhausted to believe that I will respond quickly enough to all the changing information, especially if I'm then tired from a day at work or out doing whatever it is I've driven there for. Basically, it's not the getting there that worries me (although it does a bit), it's mostly the fear that I won't have enough spoons to safely make the return journey that stops me going in the first place.

Consequently, I've always either worked from home, lived within walking distance of my workplace, or lived within walking distance of a train station, and I have my groceries delivered these days. It probably does limit my world quite a lot, but then I don't find the world a particularly hospitable place anyway. Oh, and my partner drives, which helps tremendously when it comes to visiting family (a massive cheat, I know!!). For everything else, there's Amazon.

Really good luck to you though. As long as you enjoy it and you're safe, absolutely go for it. 

I feel the same way.   The "unconscious competence" stage still eludes me and i can't wait for the era of the car culture to wane.  But still, good luck to anyone embarking on this.  It does still open up a lot of doors.   

I feel the same way.   The "unconscious competence" stage still eludes me and i can't wait for the era of the car culture to wane.  But still, good luck to anyone embarking on this.  It does still open up a lot of doors.