Research confirms that ADHD is a significant risk factor for motor vehicle accidents and traffic infractions, especially among adolescent and young adult drivers. Understand the ADHD link to unsafe driving and learn safety strategies.
and driving simulation outcomes in our 2012 study. In other words, lisdexamfetamine was associated with faster reaction time and a lower likelihood of having a collisionWhat this means is that we cannot assume that a medication that provides benefits in ADHD symptoms will also provide benefits in driving outright.
In my practice, I do not try to discourage anybody from driving. Instead, I have discussions with patients who are just beginning to drive about the seriousness of having a deadly weapon at their control, the meaning of safe driving, and the importance of being medicated – for ADHD in generalwhile driving. For families that stop ADHD treatment on weekends and during “downtime,” I emphasize the importance of driving only.
Many studies, including ours, show that stimulants reduce driving risk and improve safety for individuals with ADHD – findings that carry major public health relevance, considering the high risk of crashes associated with the condition. In practice – and as we continue to study just how medication improves driving behaviors – clinicians must educate young patients and their families about the risks, and of the importance of driving while on medication.