Experience. Ambition. Dedication. Results.

How ADHD could be a safety risk

On Behalf of | Jan 7, 2019 | Car Accidents

Drivers in Oklahoma and throughout the country who have ADHD are less likely to get into a car accident if they are medicated. This is the main takeaway from a study published in JAMA Psychiatry that involved 2.3 million people. The study’s lead author said that those with ADHD tend to have trouble paying attention, which could make them more likely to get into an accident. Previous studies have backed that assertion.

The study used insurance claims from 2005 to 2014 to identify 2.3 million American drivers who had ADHD. All of the drivers were over the age of 18 and had an average age of 32. Of these individuals, roughly 84 percent were given at least one prescription medication for the condition. Researchers found that males who were medicated were 38 percent less likely to get into a crash compared to those who had ADHD but were not medicated.

That figure jumped to 42 percent among female drivers with ADHD who had been medicated compared to those who were not. Researchers acknowledged that there were some flaws with the study. For instance, just because an individual obtained a prescription doesn’t mean that he or she used a medication. Furthermore, the data used was a total of all car accidents as opposed to those caused by distracted driving.

If an auto accident is caused by an inattentive or distracted driver, crash victims may be entitled to compensation to pay for medical bills, lost wages and lost future earnings. Compensation may also help pay for any property that was lost or damaged in a crash. Evidence of negligence might include statements from a driver or a witness to the accident. Photo or video evidence may also be used to indicate that negligence led to a crash.