New drivers have a knowledge deficit based simply on their lack of life experience behind a steering wheel when learning how to drive a vehicle. Inexperience can lead to poor impulsive decisions resulting in car accidents. Teenagers are by nature somewhat impulsive, especially when reacting to a new or unfamiliar situation. This is only one reason that learning to drive can be so dangerous for our teenagers.

Undiagnosed, untreated, and non-medicated ADD or ADHD teens have been shown to have a higher risk of accidental injuries starting early in life. This increase in accidental injury may or may not be directly related to the impulsivity and inattention problems associated with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. So what happens when ADD or ADHD teens are learning how to drive?

It is obvious that any teen is at risk of having an accident when learning to drive. Yet, according to research recently completed by the University of Virginia, depending on which medication ADD or ADHD teens use he or she may be at increased risk of having a car accident. Teen drivers who were prescribed or used a generic or brand name form of Concerta were marginally better drivers than teens that used a generic or brand name form of Ritalin. This came out of the University’s initial research.

It may be due to Concerta’s unique proton-pump which allows the medication to be released at a steady rate in the body after it is ingested, versus Ritalin which releases the medication immediately upon ingesting. According to the University’s research “a teen diagnosed with ADD or ADHD is 2 to four times more likely to have an accident, when compared to teens without a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD”.

Yet, in a follow-up study done at the University of Virginia it was determined that teens had a greater or less chance of an accident due to inattention or impulsivity depending on which ADD or ADHD stimulant medication the teen driver used. This study compared the driving of teenagers from 16 to 19 years of age who received Concerta, Adderall XR (another extended release stimulant medication used to treat ADD or ADHD) or a placebo. A placebo is basically a pill made of sugar yet the person believes it is another form of medication.

The teens all received their “medication” at 8 o’clock each morning. Then at 5, 8 and 11 pm, each teen drove for 15 minute intervals on a computerized simulator. A simulator allows the driving conditions to be exactly the same for each teen every time. The Concerta users consistently showed a better driving performance than the drivers using a placebo or the Adderall XR. What exactly does this mean exactly? Those teens given Concerta, made less impulsive errors regarding speeding or braking than the other drivers in the study.

Initially Concerta was believed to stay in the system only up to 10 or 12 hours after consuming, but this new study may prove that Concerta is still effective in helping control symptoms of inattentiveness or impulsivity related to ADD or ADHD as long as 15 hours later. The study does not recommend teens who are doing well on Adderall XR be immediately switched to Concerta, as in choosing a treatment involves looking at all aspects of a teen’s life, including school, work, and home.

Another very valid point of observation made by the researchers cautions teen drivers diagnosed with ADD or ADHD not to discontinue medication when school is not in-session, such as on weekends or holidays when more teens are out driving and accident rates increase. In cases where a teen is driving medication should not be stopped simply because the teen is not in school.

Finally, do you have an ADD or ADHD teen driver in your home? I welcome and encourage you to visit BellaOnline’s ADD free forum and post your concerns, insight, or experience to share with other parents on what has helped or hindered your teen driver. I also welcome constructive feedback, as well as suggestions for other topics you would like to see written here.

Any discussion or article regarding medications or treatments for ADD or ADHD is not to be considered as medical advice or recommendations from the author. The author is simply stating facts shown in a research study, and this should not be considered medical advice or personal recommendations in any way. Any questions or concerns should always be directed to a licensed pediatrician or board certified child psychiatrist only.