To evaluate the driving safety performance of a small group of young adults with ADHD taking medication or placebo, the researchers conducted a pilot study using a driving simulation system. The simulator assessed participants’ driving skills, including situation awareness, hazard perception, risk assessment and decision-making under time pressure.
Researchers used the simulator to determine the participants’ driving safety scores by averaging their results on safety-related driving parameters including tickets, crashes and excess speed. The study found that those treated with Adderall XR had better scores than those who did not receive treatment for their ADHD symptoms.
While treated, participants were better able to avoid crash-likely events, were less likely to tailgate other drivers, and were more able to maintain their speed and comply with traffic regulations than when they received a placebo.
“Many teenage and young adult drivers with ADHD have trouble complying with the rules of the road and have difficulty staying focused on the complex and demanding task of driving,” said Dr Gary Kay, director of the Washington Neuropsychological Institute.
Research suggests that teenagers with ADHD are nearly four times more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle accident. Young adults with ADHD also have a significantly higher incidence of traffic violations and license suspensions than people without the disorder.