There’s no doubt that ADHD and similar diagnoses can have a significant impact on a patient’s life in many different ways. According to research published in JAMA Pediatrics, however, adolescents who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are 36% more likely to get into a vehicle accident than other adolescent drivers.
A previous 1993 study said that drivers who had ADHD are 4 times as likely to get into car accidents than those who don’t. Six primary care practices in New Jersey were analyzed to come up with the results of the study including medical records for 2,500 children with ADHD. The presence of ADHD among a young driver who may already be struggling with the inexperience and overconfidence in driving abilities could pose a dangerous combination. This study found that children who have ADHD are less likely to get their driver’s licenses in general but may choose to wait to get it at an older age.
If any adolescent who has been diagnosed with ADHD is struggling to learn how to drive, a driving rehab specialist may be used to decrease the chances of an accident. Children who have higher difficulty focusing, in general, will face bigger risks of a vehicle accident because they tend to be overconfident in their driving ability to begin with. Teens are also more likely to engage in other distracted driving types of behaviors, particularly if they have other passengers in the car or use their cellphone on a regular basis. Many states have already stipulated various prohibitions on texting and driving and handheld mobile devices but teens tend to avoid these laws and overestimate their ability to focused on the road as well as on the car.