Adult ADHD
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Adults and teenagers with ADHD are more likely to drive dangerously. They get into more traffic accidents and receive more citations.
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Ritalin has been shown to improve driving in small studies. Adults with ADHD who were given Ritalin drove more safely.
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However, these studies are small and more research is needed to confirm the benefits of Ritalin and other medications on driving safety.
ADHD has been linked in multiple studies with dangerous driving. Difficulties with attention and impulsivity can make it more challenging to drive safely.
For example, the study below found that those with ADHD were more likely to get into car accidents and engage in dangerous driving compared to those without ADHD:
Based on the study's results, the authors concluded that those with ADHD were more likely to engage in risky or distracted driving and were prone to impulsivity when driving. Drivers with ADHD had more accidents and more unsafe driving events.
Ritalin is one of the most commonly prescribed medications for ADHD. It can help with ADHD symptoms, including those involving attention and impulsivity:
Because of the known benefits of Ritalin in ADHD, studies have looked at whether Ritalin can improve driving for those with ADHD.
Studies on Ritalin and Driving
One study found that adults with ADHD who were given Ritalin were safer drivers. They drove slower, were less impulsive, and used their turn signals more often:
These results suggest that ADHD medication, particularly stimulant medication such as Adderall and Ritalin, may improve driving performance among those with ADHD. Those with ADHD experienced significant improvements in steering ability, turn signal usage, and driving speed on methylphenidate, aka Ritalin.
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The high dose of medication also resulted in less variability of steering the simulated vehicle during the standard driving course than in the placebo condition; whereas the low dose of MPH resulted in a greater use of the turn signal activator than in the placebo condition. In the obstacle course, the high dose of MPH also resulted in a significantly slower average speed than in the low dose of medication.
Ritalin vs Adderall for Driving
Adderall is another medication commonly used to treat ADHD. It's similar to Ritalin in that it's a stimulant medication. Both Adderall and Ritalin are effective treatments for ADHD.
Researchers have compared Adderall to Ritalin regarding their effects on driving performance in a small study on adults with ADHD.
Overall, Ritalin appeared to be better than Adderall in improving driving ability.
However, this was a small study with large margins of error. More research will be needed to confirm this.
This study provides further evidence that medication can improve driving performance for those with ADHD. Ritalin led to significant improvements in driving among teenagers. The improvements in driving performance were driven by fewer stop sign violations, fewer episodes of speeding, and fewer incidents of accidentally leaving the road.
Key Takeaways
These studies suggest that Ritalin may improve driving safety and ability for those with ADHD. This is consistent with the known effectiveness of Ritalin in ADHD.
The jury is still out on Adderall. While there is some evidence that Ritalin may be better, more research is needed to confirm this.