Maryland changes drivers test, autistic man finally passes

[Korner6]

For people with autism, they see things in black and white. I know someone, if when told you need 1/4 of oil, that it can't be a little bit over or under, it has to be exactly 1/4 cup. I bring up this reference, because an autistic male in Maryland would fail the written portion of the driver's test in Maryland because of his disability. For the blood alcohol content, the question asked, wasn't how he learned what the law stated and it confused him, hence, he failed.

So Maryland changed their drivers test so that the man could now get his license by using simpler language. Kudos to that!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/09/26/maryland-drivers-test-plain-language/

 

[Winny]

That is awesome news! It really makes me happy hearing the government help change some rules around to make things a bit easier for others. People with autism don't follow things the same way others do. Even I sometimes have trouble understanding the language of some questions, articles, etc.

These teachers should take into account if someone is autistic, and be more hands on with them. But yeah, I'm all for them making it easier for all to understand.

 

[TradeJack]

Yeah, I never understood some wording on those tests either. The wording seemed more complicated than it had to be. Maryland isn't the only state, so I'm glad they did something about it.

 

[Debashis]

It's great to see Maryland adapting their driver's test to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Simplifying language can make a significant difference in enabling everyone to access and exercise their rights.

 

[Shortie]

That is amazing news. It is awful that some tests are not changed for people such as this who suffer from autism and may struggle so this is very much a step in the right direction for sure when it comes to helping those who do struggle to be able to reach that goal

 

[Nomad]

I believe the law should treat people with special needs differently. The same laws cannot be applied to all individuals. I think changing the driver test for someone with autism is a good move. However, the officials should also be careful about the law being abused by other people.

 

[Jake]

I believe the law should treat people with special needs differently. The same laws cannot be applied to all individuals. I think changing the driver test for someone with autism is a good move. However, the officials should also be careful about the law being abused by other people.

I think it depends. Not everyone with special needs will be able to drive, even with the required training and work done. There's just some things they won't be able to do. In this case, it sounds like the person was confused about the written test, but his driving otherwise was up to the standards of a good driver.

But, there are people with special needs who are unable to learn to drive, and may not even be safe behind the wheel. I'm not saying all, just that there are likely a small group of special needs individuals who aren't able to learn. And that's okay.

I'm okay with them changing the rules a bit to help someone who is fully capable of driving, get through the written test easier.

 

[Nomad]

Agreed. If someone can drive well but but cannot pass written test because of some kind of disabilities, this person should put in consideration. However, if someone cannot drive, how can he be considered to receive a license. When I said people with special needs should be treated differently, I did not mean this person should be exempted from the main requirements.