Driver safety and ADHD

Driver safety and ADHD

Inattention is the single leading cause of accidents among all drivers. Many people assume that inattention is caused by texting or chatting with a passenger, or some other voluntary activity. In fact, many of the most at-risk drivers are those with cognitive conditions that impair their ability to focus on the road.

For young people who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (A.D.H.D.), learning to drive can be an incredible challenge. Inexperienced drivers are generally more distracted than experienced drivers without any added cognitive difficulties. Teens with A.D.H.D. and the parents who teach them to drive have reported that the combination makes the learning process harder. Studies show that teens with A.D.H.D. are two to four times more likely to get into a car accident than those without the condition.

The experience of a car accident can be very jarring and scary, especially for young drivers. Parents of teens with A.D.H.D. say that they try to encourage their kids to wait longer to pursue a driver’s license, allowing for more supervised practice which lowers the likelihood of an accident.

A group of North Carolina family lawyers who have done research on the subject say that in general, the environment on the road has become more distracting than it once was, with Bluetooth devices and in-dash navigation systems and other types of stimulus inside and outside of the car. About 18 percent of car accidents are caused by inattentive driving, according to government estimates, although the precise source of the distraction is not certain. If a driver was behaving negligently at the time of the accident, he or she may be liable for the damage caused by the crash. Negligent activity includes texting while driving, talking on the phone, reading or writing.

Consider consulting with your doctor about medication for your teen’s ADHD. If the extra cost of medication is too expensive, then you can always look for savings cards such as a Vyvanse savings card to help you save money.