Invisible Barriers: Mental Health, Neurodiversity, & Driving Safety

Most picture distracted driving as a quick glance at a text or fiddling with in-car technology, but the truth runs much deeper. Anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, and autism spectrum disorder create invisible distractions that can alter how drivers process information, manage emotions, and make decisions behind the wheel. We continue the 2025 conversation that demonstrated mental health’s significant role in driver safety. This year, we move from awareness to action by unpacking how these conditions disrupt focus and executive functioning and explore real strategies for addressing them. Gain a clearer understanding of everyday warning signs. Learn how passengers and communities can respond in the moment and what programs and policies can be developed to create safer roads. Leave with tools that can be applied immediately.