Chinese Autism UK
Neurodivergent

Road Safety

Staying safe out and about.

Sensory differences, noisy traffic, flashing lights, and car fumes may mean that your autistic child may find it difficult to go out in the community. They may also need help to understand important aspects of road safety such as crossing the road and avoiding traffic. Below are some steps you can take to help keep your autistic child safe and help them develop road safety skills.

Why might my autistic child find it difficult to go out in the community and be aware of road safety?

Your child may find it difficult to recognise potentially dangerous situations. They may also be over or under-sensitive to certain sounds, noises, smells, and textures, which could impact their ability to process information. For example, they may find the sound of an engine revving or the sight of traffic lights flashing overwhelming. This in turn could lead to your child becoming distressed or becoming distracted.

What can I do to help? – Staying safe

  • Use clear and simple communication. For example, you could say ‘walking’ and reinforce this with a ‘walking’ symbol.
  • When walking next to a road with your child, try to provide an activity to help them walk rather than run and to keep them distracted from any sensory input that they could find distressing. These activities could include:
  • Pointing out things in the environment that would interest them
  • Singing a song
  • Giving them their favourite toy.

Using social stories and games

You could write a social story about an aspect of road safety that your child does not yet understand, for example, how to safely cross the road. Social stories reinforce key information with pictures and you can read this with your child before going out in the community.

You could also role play road safety with your child. Many shops and websites sell road signs, toy cars, and interactive games which could help you explain and practise important aspects of road safety.

Supporting sensory differences

If your child has sensory differences, try giving them a fidget toy or putty they squeeze if they feel overstimulated.

Your next steps

  • Visit the Department of Transport’s Think Campaign website for road safety advice.
  • Visit Brake, the road safety charity’s website for information and resources.
  • Download a ‘My child is autistic’ card from the National Autistic Society website. Your child can take this with them while they are out in the community. It lets others know that your child is autistic and how they can help.

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