A basic rule of driving is to keep your eyes on the road—leading to fierce debate after an American influencer with Tourette’s Syndrome demonstrated that some of her tics stop her from watching where she is going while she is behind the wheel.
Olivia Woodrich, 26, was diagnosed with the neurological condition at seven years old and suffers with involuntary tics which include a stutter, neck stretching and making facial grimaces.
She has appeared on US reality show Baylen Out Loud—which is about a woman living with Tourette’s Syndrome (TS)—and uses her social media presence to further educate the public about the condition.
It’s estimated that 300,000 adults and children in the UK have TS, with 1.2 million in the US.
The condition is characterised by a combination of involuntary noises and movements called tics, and it usually starts during childhood and continues into adulthood.
The tics can be mild and barely noticeable—twitching, sniffing or throat clearing—or more extreme, with some people unable to stop themselves from shouting, swearing or screeching.
In the 25-second long video, Olivia can be seen twitching and stretching her neck, which causes her to look backwards for several seconds, taking her eyes off the wheel, and the road ahead of her.
She explained that she posted the video to show people that it is possible to drive if you have a TS diagnosis.
Olivia Woodrich posted a video showing her driving around while having tics, she was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome when she was seven
Olivia, who is from Tulsa in Oklahoma, US, said: ‘I’ve learnt how to safely drive with my tics. I think a lot of people don’t realise that you can drive with TS.
‘I know some individuals [who have TS] don’t drive as their tics are too dangerous but most of us drive safely every day.
‘I try not to let my neck stretch tic out when I’m not at a stoplight as I am looking away from the road.
‘When I feel this tic coming on, I either pull over or wait until I’m at a stoplight.
‘I don’t drive on the highway for this reason as there is nowhere to pull over if I need to.’
In the clip, Olivia can be seen driving in her white Nissan Kicks making facial expressions as part of one of her involuntary motor movements.
But as she continues her journey, her neck stretching tic is triggered—resulting in her throwing her head back with her eyes closed and not looking at the road.
She added: ‘I think what helps me most is making sure my music isn’t too loud.
She doesn’t think she is a dangerous driver, explaining that it’s no worse than people who text while driving
Olivia lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma
‘I do like driving with music as it helps me to focus on the road and the music helps to take the focus away from my tics too.
‘Stress, anxiety, being sick or being super excited can make my tics worse. It’s all about listening to my body and brain.
‘If I feel like I can’t safely get to my destination, I won’t drive that day. This honestly rarely happens though.’
She also suggested there are other drivers more dangerous than her on the road such as when a motorist glances over to talk to a passenger or when people text and drive.
‘I’m very aware of safety concerns which is why I’m mindful of my tics and trying to manage them,’ she said.
‘It’s no different to someone driving looking over at a passenger or sneezing.
‘There are a lot of people more dangerous than me on the road such as people that look away from the road to text and drive, or not give their full attention to the road.
‘These are more dangerous than me having a small tic while I’m driving.’
In the UK, you must tell the DVLA if you have Tourette’s Syndrome which could affect your driving
After sharing her TS driving video, many users found her post inspiring, but some questioned the safety of her being on the road.
One user said: ‘Is it not dangerous when your head and eyes turn up and away from the road?’
Another added: ‘Aren’t you afraid to crash when you flinch and look away like that?’
A third commented: ‘My daughter has her learners permit and is scared to drive because of her tics. This is encouraging.’
