Teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely than their peers to experience a car crash, get a speeding ticket, and drive without a license. That is not new news. But what is new is the degree of that risk.
A recently published retrospective cohort study[1] used electronic health record (EHR) data on almost 15,000 teenagers from six primary care practices in New Jersey. These data were merged with data from the state's motor vehicle commission as well as police departments to identify licensure and crash events, ultimately identifying from this cohort 1769 adolescents with ADHD and a New Jersey driving license (approximately 12% of the entire sample). The investigators then compared traffic events between this group and the remaining group that did not have an ADHD diagnosis.
The state tries to keep teen drivers safe. Teenagers may obtain a driver's license at 17 years of age. However, they are prohibited from driving overnight, using electronics while driving, or having more than one peer in the car for the first year of driving.
The study investigators used state records to evaluate:
All crashes reportable to the police;
Crashes with an injury;
Crashes for which the adolescent was at fault;
Crashes at night;
