Older adults with ADHD are at greater risk for car crashes.

A study published recently in JAMA Network Open highlights a staggering 74% risk of car crashes in older adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as opposed to their non-afflicted peers. Other factors of the disorder, such as inattention and impulsivity, also escalate their chances of hard-braking events and getting traffic tickets.

Eugene Arnold, MD, a professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral health at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, commented on the findings, stating that although ADHD symptoms such as hyperactivity and inattentiveness tend to get better up until early adulthood, there has never before been a long-term analysis of the symptoms as age increases.

The study followed 2,832 adults between the ages of 65 to 79, mainly from the states of Maryland, California, Michigan, Colorado, and New York, with over half being women and 85.7% being non-Hispanic White people. Of the people studied, 2.6% had ADHD. In-vehicle data recording devices and yearly assessments were administered from July 6, 2015, to March 31, 2019, yielding incredibly surprising results.

A 7% increased risk of hard-braking events, a 102% increased risk of self-reported traffic ticket events, and a 74% increased risk of self-reported vehicular crashes were seen in correlation to those with ADHD. This led researchers to conclude that in order to maintain vehicular safety, powerful measures and interventions must be implemented in the diagnosis and treatment of clinical ADHD in older adults to enable motility and a quicker reaction time.

“We at Specialty RX encourage the healthcare team that older adults with ADHD to be monitored frequently with regards to their condition and ensure that all new breakthroughs in ADHD research are considered when developing their treatment plan.” – Joe Kubulak, Chief Operating Officer at SpecialtyRx