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Teens with ADHD More Likely to Have Car Accidents

JAMA Pediatr; ePub 2017 Jun 12; Curry, et al

Publish date:

Teens with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are less likely to obtain a driver’s license, but if they do get one, they are more likely to get into an accident, according to a study that included 2,479 adolescents and young adults with ADHD and nearly 16,000 without the disorder. Additional details are as follows:

  • The probability of obtaining a driver’s license 6 months after they were eligible was 35% less in persons with ADHD.
  • Among teens and young adults who had obtained a license, 42.8% had experienced a crash, compared to 35.7% among those without ADHD.
  • The adjusted risk of having a first accident was 36% greater in those with ADHD.

Citation:

Curry AE, Metzger KB, Pfeiffer MR, et al. Motor vehicle crash risk among adolescents and young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. [Published online ahead of print June 12, 2017]. JAMA Pediatr. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.0910.

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