Peer-reviewed article
Parent Experiences and Perceptions of Safety When Transporting Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Teresa Plummer, Missy Bryan, Katherine Dullaghan, Abigail Harris, Michaela Isenberg et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study explores how parents of children with autism spectrum disorder experience and manage vehicle transportation safety. Researchers surveyed 54 caregivers across 17 US states about their practices and concerns. The findings show that children's challenging behaviors—such as attempts to leave the vehicle, aggression, or self-harm—significantly limit how far parents are willing to travel, which reduces family participation in community activities and leisure.
Key points
- Caregivers of children with ASD who attempted to elope were significantly less likely to participate in activities away from home (p = .013)
- Aggressive behaviors in children correlated with reduced activity participation (p = .005)
- Self-injurious behaviors correlated with reduced activity participation (p = .001)
- Key themes affecting safety perceptions include sensory behaviors of children, education about child passenger safety, and community participation
- Therapists treating children with ASD should be familiar with child passenger safety restraints, particularly for elopement
Limitations
This is a convenience sample study without a comparison group, so causality cannot be established. The findings reflect caregiver perceptions and reported practices rather than objective safety outcomes or actual accident rates.
Abstract
IMPORTANCE: Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of unintentional deaths of children ages 1 and older, particularly children with health care needs. OBJECTIVE: To explore family caregivers' experiences and current practices while transporting children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). DESIGN: A concurrent nested mixed-methods approach was used to gain insight into caregiver experiences. SETTING: Participants completed an online Qualtrics survey. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 54 caregivers of children with ASD from 17 U.S. states. RESULTS: Themes that emerged include sensory behaviors of children, education related to child passenger safety, and participation in the community. Statistically significant findings suggest a correlation between caregivers (n = 39) being less likely to participate in activities away from home if the child had attempted to elope (p = .013), displayed aggressive behaviors (p = .005), or demonstrated self-injurious behaviors (p = .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings suggest a correlation between caregivers limiting the distance traveled during vehicular transportation and behavioral safety concerns. If caregivers must limit travel, they may refrain from accessing the community and engaging in leisure pursuits. What This Article Adds: The findings suggest that therapists who treat children with ASD should be familiar with child passenger safety restraints, particularly for elopement.