Does ADHD increase the risk of car accidents and problem drinking?
Driving poses special risks for teens with ADHD. In fact, teens with ADHD are two to four times more likely to have a car accident than teens without ADHD. Teens with ADHD may be impulsive, risk-taking, immature in judgment, and thrill seeking. All of these traits increase the chance of an automobile accident and serious injury. Still, studies show that teen drivers with ADHD who take the prescribed medication have a significantly reduced chance of accidents. Teens with ADHD are more likely to be heavy drinkers than teens without ADHD. They are also more likely to have problems from drinking. In clinical studies, researchers confirmed that teens with ADHD were twice as likely to have abused alcohol within the past 6 months. They also found that teens with ADHD were likely to abuse drugs and three times more likely to abuse drugs other than marijuana. Getting proper treatment for ADHD in teens may cut the risk of later alcohol and drug abuse.
