Medication Shows Promise in Reducing Car Accidents for Adults with ADHD

Doctors have long known that adults with ADHD are at a higher risk of being involved in car accidents. Basic symptoms of ADHD, such as distraction and impulsivity, contribute to the higher accident rate among these drivers.

However, a new study by researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that medication specifically for ADHD (such as Ritalin, Adderall, etc.) significantly reduces the risk of being involved in a car accident. "Car accidents are a leading cause of injury and death among adults with ADHD," says lead researcher Zheng Chang. "This is why we decided to explore this matter."

To compare the data, the researchers looked at American health insurance records from 2005 to 2014 and identified over two million Americans over 18 diagnosed with ADHD. Over eighty percent of them were also prescribed some form of medication.

In the next phase, Chang and his team examined records of emergency room visits due to car accidents where an adult with ADHD was the driver. They then compared data between the months when patients were recorded as purchasing their medication and months when prescriptions were not used.

The result: "Men with ADHD had a 38% lower risk of car accidents in months when they obtained their medication, and women had a 42% lower risk when they purchased their medication."

Of course, purchasing medication does not necessarily prove it was taken, and it cannot be confirmed that every emergency room visit due to an accident was the fault of the ADHD driver. Still, the researchers assert that the data convincingly suggests the medication's ability to enhance road safety for drivers with ADHD.

Adults with ADHD who adhere to daily medication should still exercise caution when driving at certain times, however: during the 'rebound' period when the medication is wearing off, and in the evening hours after the medication's effect has completely diminished.