One newsletter reader recently submitted this question regarding their young adult child with ADHD, and programs available to help with his/her driving. Here was the question:

My (young adult child) has ADD (on medication) and has had several speeding citations and a car accident. Are there techniques to prevent these events? Any articles on tips to avoid driving incidents? Any researchers in this field with ideas? You noted facts but we could use solutions.

My answer to her focused on the issue of character, which I wrote a long article about in the last newsletter. My answer to this reader is printed in this article below.

Research on Driving and ADHD

But there is an interesting report out of Israel today about a program to help drivers who have ADHD to decrease ADHD-related traffic accidents. The report is dated November 4, 2008.

It seems that researchers from Tel Aviv University have developed a driver training program targeted to ADHD individuals. They teamed up with the occupational therapy departments in local hospitals to develop this program.

One of the lead researchers is Dr. Navah Ratzon from TAU's Department of Occupational Therapy. She played a big part in the program both from the OT side, as well as from the parental side. Dr. Ratzon has a teenage daughter with ADHD who keeps banging up the family car. So she helped to develop this therapist-led approach to training people with ADHD how to drive more safely.

In this program the OT’s help to train the drivers with ADHD using self-described state-of-the-art tools. They help the drivers to learn to systematically screen the visual field for potential hazards, including regular checking of the rear view mirror.

As a side-note, once upon a time I drove a bus for a day camp program for my summer job, working my way through college. We received similar re-training, as normal driving habits in a car are inadequate for driving a bus with 60 children in it. We were re-trained to constantly scan the field of vision, and to check our three large rear view mirrors every three seconds. So I can see where this type of purposeful retraining would be very helpful.

The research team admits that there is very little research on ADHD and driving.

The program encourages drivers with ADHD to take their re-training program, and also encourages drivers to take their medication for ADHD as prescribed for driving their cars. They point to studies that have shown that ADHD teens that use stimulant medications drive more safely than those with ADHD who do not.

Learn more about this research:
http://www.aftau.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=7857

Here were my comments to the reader regarding Character and Driving Behaviors

There are some minor editions to hide some details, but the concept is intact.

27 October, 2008

I'm not familiar with anyone doing research in this particular area, ie developing strategies for young adults to drive more carefully. I know that it is an area of great concern for many parents, so it would be nice to see.

Here, for what it's worth, is my thought: speeding is voluntary.

Speeding is an act of the will. People, even impulsive people, choose to enter a vehicle and to exceed the speed limit. When someone exceeds the speed limit they increase the probability that they will be involved in an accident that will injure an innocent party, perhaps a child - perhaps MY child.

Ultimately repeated speeding is selfish, and irresponsible. It shows a lack of concern or care for the safety and welfare of others, including children. Your son has to confront this issue in his life. Does he truly want to be so self-centered? I hope not.

Driving carefully is also a choice, an act of the will. Even impulsive people can make the decision to drive under the speed limit and in a focused and careful manner. This will decrease the probability that they will be involved in an accident that might injure innocent people.

Deciding to drive in a careful manner is an act of responsibility, and shows that one values and cares about other people as well as himself.

Each of us gets to define our own character. We may not get to define our reputations (how others see us), but we do get to define, and then develop, our own character.

To a great extent our character is shaped and defined by the things that we do, and by the things that we either fail to do, or decide on purpose not to do. Our character is revealed in the choices that we make, especially when no one is watching us.

I would ask your (child), now (a young adult), to consider what type of a (person) he/she wants to be. Would he/she like to be a self-centered (person) who doesn't really care about the welfare of others? Or would he/she like to be a (person) of integrity and honor, who cares for, and perhaps would even sacrifice for others?

Then, based on that choice, based on the choice of what kind of a person he/she would like to be, he/she can make other choices in life, including decisions about how to operate his/her motor vehicle in public.

I truly hope that your (young adult child) will choose wisely. Please give him/her my kindest regards.

Sincerely,

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D.