ADHD Drivers More Prone to Car Accidents

A new study reveals that nearly half of all older adults with ADHD experience a traffic collision or citation each year.

A new study shows that older adults with ADHD are more prone to auto accidents than people of similar age without the disorder.

In the study, researchers posted a survey for drivers with ADHD on five websites. Results, presented at the American Psychiatric Association 162nd Annual Meeting in May, indicated that in the previous 12 months, 28 percent reported receiving a citation, 34 percent reported being involved in an auto collision, and 44 percent reported either a citation or collision. Middle-aged adult male drivers reported 1.1 automobile collisions in the previous year — a number higher than that in the general population.

The researchers concluded that “most of the people in the survey were not adequately treated, if at all,” and recommended a long-acting stimulant to improve driving ability.