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A new road safety resource has been developed for professionals to better support autistic and neurodiverse learners.
The resource has been developed by Co-Pilot, a networking platform for road safety professionals, in partnership with the National Autistic Society. It features 24 short videos providing practical, real-world examples of accessible and inclusive road safety education.
It aims to help professionals design materials, plan sessions, and anticipate situations in which autistic people may benefit from additional support. In addition, it helps organisations consider and make reasonable adjustments to avoid disadvantaging disabled people.
Ellie Goodman, Trainer Consultant at the National Autistic Society, said: “We’ve designed this resource to provide clear information and practical guidance to enable all road safety professionals to better understand autism and support autistic people. We hope our films and written guidance will support professionals to feel empowered to make often small but important changes to their practice.”
Road safety and autistic people
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With at least 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, most practitioners will work with autistic children or adults during their careers, including individuals who may not yet have a diagnosis. Autistic people may experience differences in social communication, sensory processing, executive functioning and a greater need for certainty. These differences can shape how they engage with road safety sessions, education materials or learning environments.
A recent example from a local authority’s Active Travel Team demonstrates the value of inclusive thinking. After receiving feedback from a parent of an autistic child, the team reviewed its school walking route guidance and explored clearer mapping, colour coding and quieter alternative routes. These improvements were recognised for boosting accessibility for autistic pupils and for supporting more children to walk to school safely and confidently.
James Evans, Founder and CEO of Co-Pilot, said: “When we take time to understand autism, we can create learning experiences where more people feel able to take part – and we’re also meeting our responsibilities as professionals. Many autistic people face barriers that aren’t always obvious, and making reasonable adjustments is both a legal duty and simply the right thing to do.
“We developed this resource with the National Autistic Society to give practitioners clear, practical support. Our hope is that it helps colleagues reflect on their approach, make small changes that benefit everyone and feel confident they are delivering inclusive and responsible road safety education. With the new Road Safety Strategy on the horizon, this work is more important than ever.”
