This month’s DISCOVERIES features “The Science of Distracted Driving,” presented by Caitlin Pope, and “Driving through the Lens of Autism,” presented by Haley Johnson Bishop.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2013, over 3,000 people in the US were killed in a motor vehicle collision that involved a distracted driver. Distracted driving, defined as performing any activity while driving that may divert the driver’s attention from the task of driving, is an ever growing problem that is happening at all times of the day on every roadway in the US. Recent research from UAB using driving simulation shows the dangers of distracted driving and gives researchers a “safe” way to study and hopefully, prevent, unsafe driving behaviors in the future.

The ability to drive is vital to those with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) for achieving independence and improving quality of life. This study is among the first to assess driving behaviors of individuals with ASD.

Discoveries are part of every day at UAB. The talented trainees and faculty mentors devote endless hours to their research in the lab, the classroom, and the field, working to find solutions to problems that impact the daily lives of people in Alabama, and worldwide. UAB Graduate School’s DISCOVERIES IN THE MAKING is an educational outreach program that seeks to share the newest knowledge and the exciting progress being made by UAB graduate students.