Skip to content

DRIVING SPEEDING TICKETS AND CAR ACCIDENTS

Because of their impulsiveness, daring, and difficulty anticipating the consequences of their actions, children with ADD my attempt to drive a car long before they are old enough, sometimes as early as age two or three. Never leave a child with ADD alone in a car with the motor running, even if you are going into a store for only a few minutes. Keep car keys away from them.

When teenagers with ADD are old enough to drive legally, they may also more likely to get speeding tickets or have car accidents. In survey of 16- to 22-year-olds, Dr. Barkley found that teen-agers with ADHD had almost four times as many traffic citations as non-ADHD teenagers. Speeding was the most frequented traffic citation. Some of the more daring teenagers may also sneak the car out for a drive before they get their driver’s license.

Because teenager with ADD have more difficulty concentrating and paying attention, they may be more likely to have car accidents than those teenagers who don’t have the disorder. According to Dr. Barkley’s survey, teenagers with ADHD had almost four times as many car wrecks and were more than seven times as likely to have had a second accident. They were more than four times as likely to be at fault in the accident. Inattention was the most common reason given for the accident. Their impulsiveness and attraction to exciting, daring things also play a role. Unfortunately, risk-taking behavior in an automobile can be fatal.