Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current issue
    • Past issues
    • Early releases
    • Collections
    • Sections
    • Blog
    • Infographics & illustrations
    • Podcasts
    • COVID-19 Articles
  • Authors & Reviewers
    • Overview for authors
    • Submission guidelines
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Forms
    • Editorial process
    • Editorial policies
    • Peer review process
    • Publication fees
    • Reprint requests
    • Open access
    • Patient engagement
  • Members & Subscribers
    • Benefits for CMA Members
    • CPD Credits for Members
    • Subscribe to CMAJ Print
    • Subscription Prices
    • Obituary notices
  • Alerts
    • Email alerts
    • RSS
  • JAMC
    • À propos
    • Numéro en cours
    • Archives
    • Sections
    • Abonnement
    • Alertes
    • Trousse média 2023
  • CMAJ JOURNALS
    • CMAJ Open
    • CJS
    • JAMC
    • JPN

User menu

Search

  • Advanced search
CMAJ
  • CMAJ JOURNALS
    • CMAJ Open
    • CJS
    • JAMC
    • JPN
CMAJ

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current issue
    • Past issues
    • Early releases
    • Collections
    • Sections
    • Blog
    • Infographics & illustrations
    • Podcasts
    • COVID-19 Articles
  • Authors & Reviewers
    • Overview for authors
    • Submission guidelines
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Forms
    • Editorial process
    • Editorial policies
    • Peer review process
    • Publication fees
    • Reprint requests
    • Open access
    • Patient engagement
  • Members & Subscribers
    • Benefits for CMA Members
    • CPD Credits for Members
    • Subscribe to CMAJ Print
    • Subscription Prices
    • Obituary notices
  • Alerts
    • Email alerts
    • RSS
  • JAMC
    • À propos
    • Numéro en cours
    • Archives
    • Sections
    • Abonnement
    • Alertes
    • Trousse média 2023
  • Visit CMAJ on Facebook
  • Follow CMAJ on Twitter
  • Follow CMAJ on Pinterest
  • Follow CMAJ on Youtube
  • Follow CMAJ on Instagram
Letters

ADHD and driving safety

Laurence Jerome
CMAJ July 08, 2003 169 (1) 16;
Laurence Jerome
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Responses
  • Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Margaret Weiss and Candice Murray's article on the management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults1 was exemplary but did not mention one important area of functional impairment: problems with driving.

The greater prevalence of motor vehicle collisions among ADHD patients was first described in follow-up studies of childhood ADHD2 and has since been confirmed by other researchers.3 , 4 , 5 Adults with ADHD who have been characterized as impulsive, fast drivers with attention problems are also prone to aggressive driving and so-called “road rage.”

Although CMA recommendations on assessment of fitness to drive6 now include uncontrolled ADHD as a medical condition reportable to the provincial ministry of transport, the efficacy of medical interventions in reducing driving risk in adults with ADHD is not well established. In a case series of 100 adults with ADHD whose symptoms were effectively treated with stimulants (either methylphenidate or dextroamphetamine), spouses rated the patients as significantly less impulsive and generally safer while driving over a 36-month follow-up period.7 Similar supportive studies have demonstrated better driving performance with stimulants than without any medication.8

Inquiring about driving history would now seem to be an important part of establishing a profile of functional impairment among adults with ADHD. Further research is needed to establish the efficacy of stimulants and newer nonstimulant medications in reducing collisions in this high-risk population.

Laurence Jerome Consultant Psychiatrist Amethyst ADHD Programme London, Ont.

References

  1. 1.↵
    Weiss M, Murray C. Assessment and management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults. CMAJ 2003;168(6):715-22.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  2. 2.↵
    Hechtman L, Weiss G, Berlman T. Young adult outcome of hyperactive children who received long term stimulant treatment. J Am Acad Child Psychiatry 1984;23:261-9.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  3. 3.↵
    Barkley RA, Guevremont DC, Anastopoulos AD, DuPaul GJ, Shelton TL. Driving-related risks and outcomes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adolescents and young adults: a 3- to 5-year follow-up survey. Pediatrics 1993; 92: 212-8.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  4. 4.↵
    Barkley RA, Murphy KR, DuPaul GI, Bush T. Driving in young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: knowledge, performance, adverse oputcomes, and the role of executive functioning. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2002;8:655-72.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  5. 5.↵
    Jerome L, Segal A. ADHD, executive function and problem driving. ADHD Rep 2000;8(2):7-11.
    OpenUrl
  6. 6.↵
    Behavioural and learning difficulties. In: Determining medical fitness to drive: a guide for physicians. 6th ed. Ottawa: Canadian Medical Association; 2000. p. 57.
  7. 7.↵
    Jerome L, Segal A. Benefit of long-term stimulants on driving in adults with ADHD. J Nerv Ment Dis 2001;189:63-4.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  8. 8.↵
    Cox DJ, Merkel RL, Kovatchev B, Seward R. Effect of stimulant medication on driving performance of young adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.J Nerv Ment Dis 2000; 188:230-4.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Canadian Medical Association Journal: 169 (1)
CMAJ
Vol. 169, Issue 1
8 Jul 2003
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author

Article tools

Respond to this article
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
To sign up for email alerts or to access your current email alerts, enter your email address below:
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on CMAJ.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
ADHD and driving safety
(Your Name) has sent you a message from CMAJ
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the CMAJ web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
ADHD and driving safety
Laurence Jerome
CMAJ Jul 2003, 169 (1) 16;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
‍ Request Permissions
Share
ADHD and driving safety
Laurence Jerome
CMAJ Jul 2003, 169 (1) 16;
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like

Jump to section

  • Article
    • References
  • Responses
  • Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • The denial of racism is racism itself
  • An expanded role for blood donor emerging pathogens surveillance
  • Beyond wastewater surveillance: refining environmental pathogen detection in the built environment
Show more Letters

Similar Articles

Collections

  • Topics
    • Psychiatry & mental health: adult
    • Public health

 

View Latest Classified Ads

Content

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Collections
  • Sections
  • Blog
  • Podcasts
  • Alerts
  • RSS
  • Early releases

Information for

  • Advertisers
  • Authors
  • Reviewers
  • CMA Members
  • CPD credits
  • Media
  • Reprint requests
  • Subscribers

About

  • General Information
  • Journal staff
  • Editorial Board
  • Advisory Panels
  • Governance Council
  • Journal Oversight
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Copyright and Permissions
  • Accessibiity
  • CMA Civility Standards
CMAJ Group

Copyright 2023, CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors. All rights reserved. ISSN 1488-2329 (e) 0820-3946 (p)

All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association or its subsidiaries.

To receive any of these resources in an accessible format, please contact us at CMAJ Group, 500-1410 Blair Towers Place, Ottawa ON, K1J 9B9; p: 1-888-855-2555; e: cmajgroup@cmaj.ca

Powered by HighWire