In 2015, Florida had 2699 fatal car accidents and 2939 deaths, which calculates to 14.5 deaths for every 100,000 people. Florida ranks third for number of deaths behind only Texas and California. It’s known that teens have a higher rate of accidents than other drivers, but are teens with ADHD more likely to cause accidents?
In the United States, teenagers drive less than all but the oldest people, but their numbers of crashes and crash deaths are disproportionately high. 1 In the United States, the fatal crash rate per mile driven for 16-19 year-olds is nearly 3 times the rate for drivers ages 20 and over. Risk is highest at ages 16-17. In fact, the fatal crash rate per mile driven is nearly twice as high for 16-17 year-olds as it is for 18-19 year-olds.
What is ADHD?
A chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.
• Very common.
• More than 3 million US cases per year.
• Treatment can help, but this condition can’t be cured.
• Chronic: can last for years or be lifelong.
• Requires a medical diagnosis.
• Lab tests or imaging not required.
The Inattentive Type: Difficulty paying attention, errors in activities, difficulty organizing, inability to follow instructions, easily distracted, forgetfulness, tendency to lose items, listening issues, carelessness errors.
The Hyperactivity and Impulsive Type: Fidgeting and squirming when told to sit still, inability to remain seated, excessive running, always talking, inability to wait for one’s turn, interrupting issues, always wants to be “on the go,” cannot play quietly.
The Combined Type: Some adults and children have the combination type of ADHD, which means that they are hyperactive, distracted, impulsive, and share symptoms from both. Most people diagnosed with ADHD will have the combined form.
ADHD and Driving
ADHD poses special risks while driving. Those with ADHD are two to four times more likely to be in a vehicle accident compared to those without ADHD, says WebMD.
These teens could be at risk for impulsive behavior behind the wheel; they could take severe risks, use immature judgment, and even seek thrills. These traits are high-risk for those on the road with the individual who has ADHD. Also, those with ADHD are more likely to be heavy drinkers, and they could experience problems from their drinking.
Fort Lauderdale Accident Attorney
The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been working with people involved in serious car accidents for over 20 years and we have experience dealing with many cases where a driver’s medical condition contributed to a crash. Please call us if you have any questions about an accident in south Florida and we will be happy to meet with you and discuss your best course of action. 954-356-0006.
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