One of the fundamental principles of safe driving is maintaining focus on the road. This concept has sparked intense discussions following a revelation by an American influencer living with Tourette’s Syndrome, who shared that her tics occasionally prevent her from keeping her eyes on the road while driving.

Olivia Woodrich, 26, was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome at the age of seven. Her condition is marked by involuntary tics, which manifest as a stutter, neck stretching, and facial grimaces.

Woodrich has been featured on the U.S. reality show “Baylen Out Loud,” which chronicles the life of a woman navigating the challenges of Tourette’s Syndrome. She also leverages her social media platforms to raise awareness and educate others about the condition.

In the UK, it is estimated that around 300,000 people, both adults and children, live with Tourette’s Syndrome. In the U.S., this number rises to approximately 1.2 million.

Tourette’s Syndrome is characterized by a series of involuntary noises and movements, known as tics, which typically begin in childhood and can persist into adulthood.

These tics can range from mild, such as twitching, sniffing, or throat clearing, to more severe cases where individuals may struggle to control outbursts of 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.’

A fourth said: ‘Do you ever freak out when you are mid tic, like especially the ones when you’re having a head jerk or looking to the side?

‘That’s why I don’t drive, I’m terrified of being in traffic and getting stuck in a tic when I’m not looking and ending up causing an accident.’

According to the UK Government website, you must tell the DVLA if your TS affects your ability to drive safely and you’re at risk of a £1,000 fine if you do not do this.

However, if your driving is not affected by your Tourette’s, you do not have to inform the DVLA about it.

Olivia said she waited until 19 years old to obtain her driver’s license as she didn’t feel confident to do so before this and made sure her instructors were aware of her TS while learning to drive.

She said: ‘For the driving test, you don’t have to do anything extra by law with TS.

‘My driving instructor worked with me to help me manage my tics while driving.

‘When I took my test, I let them know about my Tourette syndrome but again it didn’t interfere with my ability to get my license at all. I wasn’t seen as a safety hazard.’