Investigating challenges experienced by autistic children when crossing roads, from travel trainer and caregiver perspectives
Autistic adolescents are frequently reported to experience difficulty learning to cross roads, which may contribute to elevated risk and reduced independence. However, little is known about which specific aspects of road crossing are challenging or how these vary between individuals. Independent travel training (ITT) is widely implemented across the UK, yet its effectiveness for autistic adolescents remains unclear.
This project aims to identify: (1) which skills are most difficult to train; (2) which types of crossing infrastructure are easiest to master; (3) which aspects of road crossing caregivers perceive as challenging, and how these relate to autistic traits.
The findings identify specific learning barriers and individual differences relevant to tailoring training and designing inclusive road environments. We are also conducting a controlled experimental study, and the presentation will showcase the experimental design alongside these findings.
Dr Yee Mun Lee, Associate Professor, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds
Dr Yee Mun Lee is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds.
She is an experimental and cognitive psychologist with expertise in designing experiments to understand how humans process information and how this shapes behaviour. Her research focuses on improving pedestrian safety in interactions with automated vehicles and on understanding the challenges faced by marginalised pedestrian groups across current and emerging transport systems.
She employs diverse research methods and has led and co-led numerous EU-funded work packages and sub-projects, as well as serving as PI and Co-I on projects funded by the ESRC, The Road Safety Trust and Active Travel England.
She is actively involved in international standardisation through ISO working groups and the BSI CAM Standards Coordination Group, and is a member of the Editorial Board of Transportation Research Part F.