Car accident risks are always greater with teenage drivers, and when young people cause collisions to occur, victims should reach out to a Colorado Springs car accident lawyer to get help pursuing a claim to hold the teen driver accountable for damages.
Unfortunately, certain teens are much more susceptible to crashes than others. In particular, CBS reports that teenagers with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are much more likely to become involved in an auto accident compared with teens who have not been diagnosed with ADHD. Both parents as well as teenagers with ADHD need to be aware of the added risks and take steps to combat the dangers before a young driver hurts himself or others by causing a crash to occur.
Teens With ADHD Face Increased Risk of Motor Vehicle Collisions
According to CBS, the troubling news about the risk of collisions involving teen drivers with ADHD comes from a new study published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics.
Researchers reviewed the medical records of approximately 18,500 patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which serves parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, to reach the troubling conclusion. The researchers found that there were approximately 2,500 patients between the ages of 16 and 25 who had been diagnosed with ADHD. The researchers then cross-referenced the patients’ electronic health records with state accident databases and state records of motor vehicle collisions.
The research revealed that teenagers with ADHD were 35 percent less likely than their peers without ADHD to get their license as soon as they turned 16. However, among the teens with ADHD who did have their license, their crash rate was significantly higher than teens who didn’t have ADHD. In fact, the teens with this condition crashed their car at a rate approximately 1.36 times the crash rate of their peers. In other words, they were around 36% more likely to become involved in motor vehicle collisions.
This elevated risk existed regardless of the gender of the teen driver, and it was the same regardless of the age at which the teen received his or her license. The risk also did not change if the teen driver was taking his or her medication to treat ADHD, although earlier studies found that teens who did take ADHD medication were less likely to become involved in a motor vehicle collision compared with their peers who had no disorder and who also did not take medications.
While the study is concerning, the authors of the research emphasized that the risk is manageable, especially if parents closely monitor their children and encourage them to hold off on getting their driver’s license until they are fully ready.
Regardless of whether teen drivers have ADHD or not, they can be held accountable for causing a crash to occur if they drive in an unsafe way. A Colorado Springs car accident lawyer can provide representation to victims who have caused a crash that injured or killed other passengers or motorists in other vehicles. Those who have been hurt or whose loved ones have been killed should get legal help as soon as possible to find out more about their options for pursuing a claim for compensation.
