Some medical conditions are notifiable, meaning you have a duty to tell the DVLA about them. This helps all drivers, but can be essential to those who find concentration a major challenge. Key information is explained in very simple, clear graphics on road signs there are strict rules regarding advertising, especially on busy or high-speed routes. Nothing about our highways system is accidental: the design and layout of roads deliberately limits distractions. Some may even pick up on changes to their surroundings, such as upcoming hazards, quicker than average. They are used to making decisions based on a lot of, often incomplete, information: those with the condition often excel in a crisis. On the other hand, the very strategies people with ADHD employ in everyday life can be useful for outings in a car. How you deal with blunders is part and parcel of becoming a competent driver. It’s not uncommon for learners to stall at junctions or get in the wrong lane at roundabouts. “I get flustered over the smallest mistakes”, she tells me, which is something new drivers have to deal with a lot. Her ADHD severely affects her ability to multitask, and leads her to panic easily. One man I spoke to received two speeding tickets within half an hour of passing his practical test.Īnd for a minority, like Samantha, driving might not be on the cards at all. The NHS warns that impulsivity can lead to reckless driving, such as undertaking risky lane changes, or going faster than the speed limit. That’s not to say drivers with ADHD always have an easy time. This alone can improve focus on the road ahead. Stimming can take different forms, but usually involves repeating certain sounds or movements, such as fiddling with a pen or jiggling one’s leg.ĭriving provides an organic outlet for restless energy: steering, for instance, keeps your hands fully occupied. ![]() Venting it through self-stimulating behaviours-or ‘stimming’-can help increase concentration. When forced to sit still and quietly, that energy within someone with hyperactivity symptoms can build and build. This might be down to the internal energy she’s able to exert in the car. “I think it’s because so many different parts of my brain are stimulated, it frees up space in my mind usually occupied by panic or anxiety.” She even finds herself more able to hold tricky conversations once she’s behind the wheel. ![]() “I’m often in my most calm and logical state when driving”, she says. But her experience of driving is very different. Jen also has difficulty focussing the ‘din’ in her head can be deafening during day-to-day life. She has to take appropriate measures to remove distractions so that she can concentrate on her driving. On the roads, she finds herself easily distracted, and often notices that her brain is overstimulated because there are so many things going on. She flits between tasks and struggles with motivation. ![]() That means their experiences of driving can vary significantly.Įrica has combined type ADHD, meaning she experiences symptoms of both inattentiveness and hyperactivity. While ADHD itself is clearly defined, those who live with it are distinctly individual. Taking practical driving lessons with ADHD.Do I need to tell the DVLA if I have ADHD?.I spoke to several people with the condition to get an idea of their relationships with driving. Hyperactivity or impulsiveness, which increases spontaneity and risk-taking.Inattentiveness, which can make focussing difficult and/or.Since her diagnosis at the age of 42 lots of things, including her experience of driving, now make a lot more sense.Īccording to the NHS, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects people’s behaviour, and typically presents through: But, like many people, she went through most of her life unaware that she was neurodiverse. She has ADHD-a condition she shares with approximately 3-4% of adults in the UK. "A spaghetti mess of hundreds of thoughts and worries all at the same time" is how Jen describes her internal monologue. Image source: Christine Sandu via Unsplash
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