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ADHD medication may lower risk of car crashes

On Behalf of | Nov 15, 2017 | Car Accidents

Previous studies showed a link between ADHD and a higher risk of getting into a car accident. However, if a driver in Connecticut with ADHD takes medication, that accident risk may be reduced according to a study published in May 2017 in JAMA Psychiatry.

A person who has ADHD may have trouble paying attention and may be seen fidgeting or tapping. This may make driving itself a more complicated task for a person with this condition, and it may also result in distracted driving. According to researchers, more than 20 percent of car accidents involving drivers with ADHD could have been prevented if the driver was medicated. Researchers looked at health insurance claims from 2005 until 2014 and identified 2.3 million people who had the condition. Of those people, 11,224 ADHD patients had been to an emergency room after an accident.

After comparing data with a control group, it was discovered that those with ADHD has a higher risk of getting into car accidents. However, the risk of a crash decreased by 38 percent for males who were medicated and 42 percent of females with ADHD who were medicated. Researchers did acknowledge that their data did not distinguish between those who had received medication and those who had actually taken it.

A car accident may result in serious injuries for people who are involved in the collision. Those who are hurt in a crash caused by a negligent driver may want to meet with an attorney to see how best to go about seeking appropriate compensation for medical bills and other losses.

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