Driving presents a unique set of challenges for individuals with ADHD. The core characteristics of ADHD—difficulties with attention, impulsivity, and executive function—can directly impact the complex task of operating a vehicle. As an Occupational Therapist, I work with many drivers to develop personalised strategies that turn these challenges into manageable skills, enhancing both safety and confidence on the road.
Our team recently attended professional development with KidsLink, Jacquie and Caitlyn, who unpacked the (UK) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ADHD guidelines: diagnosis and management.
Understanding the ADHD Brain Behind the Wheel
For a person with ADHD, the car can be an environment of sensory overload and competing demands. Common difficulties include:
– Sustained Attention: Maintaining focus during long or monotonous drives can be draining. The brain may seek out more interesting stimuli, leading to distraction.
– Distractibility: It’s easy to get lost in an internal dialogue or become preoccupied with a worry, causing you to miss a turn or a change in traffic conditions.
– Executive Functioning: Skills like planning a multi-step manoeuvre, sequencing actions for a lane change, and managing mental load are often challenging.
– Under-stimulation: On the other hand, if the driving task isn’t engaging enough, the mind can wander. This is why some drivers with ADHD lose focus on “simple” tasks like just monitoring traffic lights.
Practical Strategies for a Focused Drive
The key is not to “try harder” but to work smarter by using strategies that support the ADHD brain.
Clear the Mental Clutter Before You Drive:
– Before you even turn the key, take a moment to do a “brain dump”. Write down any pressing thoughts, worries, or items on your to-do list. Getting them out of your head and onto paper (or a phone note) frees up cognitive resources so you can dedicate them to driving. If a significant worry pops up mid-drive, it’s safer to pull over, note it down, and then resume your journey.
Use the “Focus Flashlight” Analogy:
-Think of your attention as a flashlight (or a torch). You can learn to control its beam. Are you “zoomed in” and hyper-focusing on one thing, missing the bigger picture? Or is your beam “scattered”, jumping between multiple things at once that may not be important? The goal is to develop a flexible, focused beam. Also, check your “battery level”. If you’re tired, your light will be dim, and your ability to focus will be low. Recognising this helps you make safer decisions about when and how to drive.
Make the Invisible, Visible:
– To combat the “look but don’t see” phenomenon, verbalise your actions. When checking mirrors, say the colour of the car you see (“blue car, grey car”). When approaching a green light, say “cars stopped, cars stopped, safe to go”. This forces your brain to process what your eyes are seeing and confirms your comprehension.
Increase Engagement to Beat Boredom:
– If a single task like scanning for traffic lights is not stimulating enough, add another layer. Challenge yourself to scan for traffic lights *and* speed signs. This concept of “gamification,” such as using a tally system for successful scans, can work well for short periods to build a new habit. The tally system allows competition between you and your driving supervisor – who was first to scan the traffic lights when taking off (if you don’t understand why this is important, check out the next point below).
Leverage Visual Learning:
– Dash-cam videos of near-misses or crashes (e.g., someone running a red light) can be a powerful tool to concretely demonstrate *why* safety habits like scanning every intersection are non-negotiable.
Learning to drive with ADHD is about building a toolkit of strategies that work for you. By understanding how your brain works and implementing supportive techniques, you can become a safe, confident, and focused driver.
