Atlanta teenagers, who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, may suffer from concentration difficulties that increase their risk of an auto accident. Greg Fabiano at the University of Buffalo is studying ADHD among teen drivers. The study focused on two separate groups of drivers with learning permits. The first group was given additional driver’s education that included 3.5 hours in a simulator and the use of a monitoring device in the car that recorded driving behavior. The second group of teen drivers was given the additional training, the monitoring device in the car, as well as a signed contract with their parents that rewarded good driving behavior and punished undesirable driving practices.
The study is a work in progress, and final results will not be available for many years. However, preliminary findings seem to indicate that teenagers, who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, have difficulties in concentration that could cause them to be distracted, and increase the risks of an auto accident. Besides, these risks are amplified manifold if these ADHD teens also text or use cell phone calls while driving.
Surprisingly to Atlanta car accident lawyers, the study also finds that teenagers actually like having an in-car monitoring device, because they can show their parents that they are driving safely.
Fabiano has a few words of advice for parents of teenage drivers. Use the same kind of driving guidelines that you would use for a non-ADHD teen. A parent-child contract that rewards good driving behavior and punishes poor driving practices can be just as effective for a teenager suffering from ADHD, as a non-ADHD teenager.