Distractions While Driving

Car drivers are even more distracted than normal when sending text messages, answering phone calls or searching for their destination on a GPS. The results from a new study reports that individuals with ADHD have a greater risk of getting in a car accident.

Driving a car requires concentration and focus. Today, drivers are presented with a plethora of distractions that shift attention away from the road ahead.

Do not talk or text while driving.

For this study, ADHD and non ADHD individuals were asked to drive on the highway while making a hands-free telephone call. Researchers monitored the participants driving behaviors. Results indicated that drivers with ADHD had greater difficulty multi tasking and therefore were more likely to get in an accident.

Lead author, Brian Reimer, suggest drivers with ADHD are more distractible and therefore getting into more car wrecks. Symptoms of ADHD include distractibility and day dreaming. A driver must always be alert.

In Depth:

• ADHD participants found it more difficult to complete phone task and drove worse
• The participants were also evaluated when driving on the highway without multi-tasking
• Individuals with ADHD were distractible when asked to multi task and also during low stimulus driving