Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39395127›Full record

SynthesisJournal of autism and developmental disorders2025

The Driving Profile of Autistic Drivers and Their Driving Experiences: A Systematic Review.

Alecia Mercier, Gabriela Sherrod, Robin Ennis, Olivio J Clay, Caroline G Richter, Despina Stavrinos

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Alecia MercierDepartment of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2625-3782
Gabriela SherrodDepartment of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8738-0645
Robin EnnisDepartment of Special Education, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8620-4199
Olivio J ClayDepartment of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7529-6120
Caroline G RichterDepartment of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4810-1770
Despina StavrinosInstitute for Social Science Research, The University of Alabama, 306 Paul Bryant Drive East, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA. Dstavrinos@ua.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3696-2020

Funding

Eisenhower Fellowships 693JJ32245086
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A developmental milestone that both contributes to and facilitates a successful transition into adulthood is the ability to drive. Yet only one in three autistic adolescents successfully obtain a driver's license by age 21 compared to over three-fourths of non-autistic adolescents. Of those who receive their license, there is inconsistency in driving attitudes, experiences and skills. The current study aimed to (1) provide a systematic review of the driving profile of autistic drivers and (2) structurally organize driving performance within a theoretical driving model - Michon's Hierarchical Model of Driving. Following PRISMA guidelines, four databases were systematically searched to identify published articles related to autistic drivers. To be included, all studies met the following inclusion criteria: included autistic sample or people representing or working with autistic individuals, peer-reviewed, published between 2000 and 2021 and contained empirical data reporting on an aspect related to driving or motor vehicle transportation. A systematic search yielded 37 articles that met inclusion criteria. Based on the differential results derived from this review, it appears that autistic drivers are not generally at greater risk of negative driving outcomes; instead, they face unique challenges based on the skills necessary to navigate specific driving contexts. However, due to the inconsistency across results, the actual driving performance in autistic drivers remains unclear. Future research should focus on quantifying these results using an evidenced-based, theoretical framework to identify consistent strengths and challenges in driving performance across autistic drivers.

Indexed as

Autistic DisorderAutomobile DrivingPsychomotor PerformanceAdolescentAdultHumansYoung AdultAutismDriving profileIndependenceMichon’s hierarchical model of drivingPRISMASystematic review

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.