Call 999 immediately if anyone is injured, if the collision scene is dangerous or if someone involved leaves the scene without exchanging the details required by law. You may also want to call an appropriate adult who can help. In the biggest change to Blue Badges since the 1970s, the DfT has been working with specialists to expand the eligibility criteria for the badges, which now includes people who cannot walk as part of a journey without considerable psychological distress or the risk of serious harm. take information about autism to discuss with your driving instructor before your first lesson, particularly if you have any sensory differences that can impact on your ability to learn e.g.problems with the glare from the sun or headlights Sign up to our Record Money newsletter and get the top stories sent to your inbox daily from Monday to Friday, including a special cost of living edition on a Thursday - sign up here. Having the blue just makes you feel slightly less anxious about the situation and feel your child is safer.

Blue badges are a lifeline for disabled people, giving them the freedom and confidence to get to work and visit friends independently. Yourdriving instructor may find it helpful to watchthis video about autistic people learning to drive.Some strategiesyourdriving instructorcould try include: Applications are made online to your local council and you’ll need a recent digital photo showing your head and shoulders - you can take this picture yourself. Some autistic people may find the skill of driving extremely difficult, whilst others will be highly competent. Being autistic should not in itself be a barrier to holding a licence.

Other useful resources

observe traffic when you’re a passenger or watch videos that may help you to become more aware of the rules of the road and driving The guidelines say that safe driving involves, among other things: vision, visuospatial perception, hearing, attention and concentration, memory, insight and understanding, judgement, adaptive strategies, good reaction time, planning and organisation, ability to self-monitor, sensation, muscle power and control, coordination.

There are several steps involved in learning to drive.When starting to take lessons you may want to: changes to Blue Badge scheme continue the UK’s world-leading plans to make the transport network more accessible Just leaving the house is a challenge for many autistic people, involving detailed preparation – and sometimes overwhelming anxiety about plans going wrong. And some autistic people might not be aware of the dangers of the road or become overwhelmed by busy or loud environments. The possibility of not being able to find a parking space near where you’re going can mean you can’t contemplate leaving the house at all. Today’s Blue Badge announcement will make a massive difference to the lives of many of the 600,000 autistic people in England, and their families. An autism alert card or passport is a document you can carry to help communicate your needs as an autistic/neurodivergent individual to police officers or other officials when you are away from home. The card typically contains your details and advice for the officer you are speaking to. Alert card schemes are run in most police areas across the UK.National Autistic Society head of policy Tim Nicholls said: "We are delighted to see the new blue badge rules come into force. Youdo not have to disclose your autism diagnosis to the DVLA if it doesn’t affect your ability to drive safely. DPTAC has worked hard to bring the issue of non-visible disabilities to the fore. Enabling those with non-visible disabilities to benefit from a Blue Badge will bring a critical improvement in the lives of many disabled people and it is right that the criteria was changed.

People with dementia, autism or Parkinson's Disease may be able to get a Blue Badge to help them park closer to the places they want to go (Image: Getty Images) Read More Related Articles This will be a huge relief for thousands of autistic people and their families in England, many of whom are so anxious about things going wrong that they find it hard to leave the house at all.Thousands of people with Parkinson’s, dementia, epilepsy and other ‘invisible’ disabilities have gained access to the benefits from Blue Badges under new rules introduced last summer. It’s absolutely right that disabled people are able to go about their daily life without worrying about how they will get from one place to another. Depending on the location, the permits often enable holders to park free of charge in pay and display bays and for up to three hours on yellow lines, while in London they exempt holders from the congestion charge. If you have a severe disability, in your arms, for example, you can’t work on-street parking equipment, and you drive regularly. The Blue Badge scheme already means people with physical disabilities can park closer to their destination than other drivers, as they are less able to take public transport or walk longer distances.