NASHVILLE, TN (NBC News) Researchers at Vanderbilt University are working on ways to help autistic teens take an important step toward adulthood: learning how to drive.
They worked with 16-year-old Brandon Roberson who has ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome.
His reactions to a driving simulator were tracked– every little shift of the eyes, each time the heart speeds up a bit.
The program is uncovering differences in where teens with autism tend to focus their gaze, sometimes staring at a traffic light too long.
Since going through the program, Brandon was able to get his driver’s permit.
The findings could someday be applied to driver’s ed programs across the country, removing some of the roadblocks in the drive to become independent.
“It’s made me notice what I’ve never noticed before that I didn’t think I would have to look out for when driving,” Brandon says.