Older people with ADHD crash more often than others

Drivers in their 70s who have an ADHD diagnosis run an increased risk of crashing while driving, according to a US study.

Older drivers who have ADHD are more often involved in traffic accidents than those without the diagnosis. That’s true for both men and women, according to researchers who reviewed US data.

The study, which was published in Jama Network Open, included 2,800 drivers between the ages of 65 and 79. Of these, about 2.6 percent had ADHD, and the incidence of traffic incidents in that group was compared to the incidence among those without a diagnosis.

According to the study, ADHD could be linked to a 74 percent increased risk of being involved in a crash and a 50 percent increased risk of receiving a traffic ticket, compared to an older driver without a diagnosis. The researchers also saw a slightly higher risk of being involved in situations that required rapid braking. The link remained even when the researchers took other diseases into account.

“We know quite a bit about ADHD among seniors. The population is getting older and there are more and more elderly people driving on the roads,” says Professor Guohua Li, professor of epidemiology and one of the study authors in a press release.

ADHD is a diagnosis that often means difficulty concentrating and difficulty with impulse control. The diagnosis is increasing among young people but also among the elderly, in the USA as well as in Sweden.

“Our findings point to the need for effective diagnosis and clinical support for older adults with ADHD to promote safety and healthy aging,” Yuxin Liu, a researcher at Colombia University and the study’s lead author, said in a commentary.

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