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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and driving risk: A review of the literature and a methodological critique

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Abstract

This article examines the literature on attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and unintentional driving injury. This literature has emerged over the last decade as part of the burgeoning epidemic of road traffic death and injury, which is the number-one cause of death among young adults in North America. The available literature on observational outcome studies and experimental pharmacologic interventions is critically reviewed. A meta-analysis of behavioral outcomes and a review of effect size of pharmacologic studies are presented. Current data support the utility of stimulant medication in improving driving performance in younger ADHD drivers. A conceptual model of risk factors in young ADHD drivers is offered. The current state of screening instruments for identifying high-risk subjects within this clinical group is summarized along with a final section on emerging trends and future prospects for intervention.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Western Ontario, 90 Wharncliffe Road South, N6J 2K1, London, Ontario, Canada

    Laurence Jerome MBChB, MSc, MRC Psych, FRCP(C)

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  1. Laurence Jerome MBChB, MSc, MRC Psych, FRCP(C)
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  2. Liat Habinski BSc
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  3. Alvin Segal PhD
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Correspondence to Laurence Jerome MBChB, MSc, MRC Psych, FRCP(C).

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Jerome, L., Habinski, L. & Segal, A. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and driving risk: A review of the literature and a methodological critique. Curr Psychiatry Rep 8, 416–426 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-006-0045-8

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