Cited by 293Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderTraffic and Road SafetySubstance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

Serious Transport Accidents in Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and the Effect of Medication: A Population-Based Study

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Chang, Zheng, Lichtenstein, Paul, D’Onofrio, Brian M., Sjölander, Arvid, Larsson, Henrik·2014·JAMA Psychiatry

Abstract

IMPORTANCE: Studies have shown that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with transport accidents, but the magnitude of the association remains unclear. Most important, it is also unclear whether ADHD medication reduces this risk. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the association between ADHD and the risk of serious transport accidents and to explore the extent to which ADHD medication influences this risk among patients with ADHD. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In total, 17,408 patients with a diagnosis of ADHD were observed from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2009, for serious transport accidents documented in Swedish national registers. The association between ADHD and accidents was estimated with Cox proportional hazards regression. To study the effect of ADHD medication, we used stratified Cox regression to compare the risk of accidents during the medication period with the risk during the nonmedication period within the same patients. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Serious transport accident, identified as an emergency hospital visit or death due to transport accident. RESULTS: Compared with individuals without ADHD, male patients with ADHD (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.32-1.63) and female patients with ADHD (1.45; 1.24-1.71) had an increased risk of serious transport accidents. In male patients with ADHD, medication was associated with a 58% risk reduction (hazard ratio, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.23-0.75), but there was no statistically significant association in female patients. Estimates of the population-attributable fractions suggested that 41% to 49% of the accidents in male patients with ADHD could have been avoided if they had been receiving treatment during the entire follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is associated with an increased risk of serious transport accidents, and this risk seems to be possibly reduced by ADHD medication, at least among male patients. This should lead to increased awareness among clinicians and patients of the association between serious transport accidents and ADHD medication.

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  • Traffic accidents and violations are more frequent in drivers with ADHD than in those without the disorder.

    “Traffic accidents and violations are more frequent in drivers with ADHD 121,217,218 than in those without the disorder”

    From Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (2015) · cites this paper as [217]

    The Results report a higher risk of serious transport accidents in adults with ADHD than in controls. The paper’s stated outcome is serious transport accidents; our copy does not report a comparison of traffic violations, so that part of the claim is unsupported. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • Treatment discontinuation places individuals with ADHD at higher risk for catastrophic outcomes, such as motor vehicle crashes, criminality, including drug-related crimes and violent reoffending, depression, interpersonal issues, and other injuries.

    “Treatment discontinuation also places individuals with ADHD at higher risk for catastrophic outcomes, such as motor vehicle crashes78,79; criminality, including drug-related crimes77 and violent reoffending76; depression71; interpersonal issues80; and other injuries.81,82”

    From Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents (2019) · cites this paper as [79]

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  • There are risks of driving for adolescents with ADHD, including crashes and motor vehicle violations.

    “Given the risks of driving for adolescents with ADHD, including crashes and motor vehicle violations, special concern should be taken to provide medication coverage for symptom control while driving.79,136,137”

    From Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents (2019) · cites this paper as [79]

    The Discussion (page not provided) reports an increased rate of serious transport accidents among adults with ADHD, and an association between medication use and fewer accidents among male adults. It does not establish these findings specifically for adolescents or report motor vehicle violations. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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  • Family relationships involving individuals with ADHD might be characterized by discord and negative interactions compared with families unaffected by ADHD.

    “family relationships involving indivi duals with ADHD might be characterized by discord and negative interactions compared with families unaffected by ADHD 217,219-221 .”

    From Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (2015) · cites this paper as [217]

    The Results and Discussion report serious transport accidents and ADHD medication, not family relationships. Searches for family discord and negative interactions found no passage in our copy addressing those outcomes; the reference to relatives concerns psychiatric risk, not family interactions. No page numbers are available in the indexed passages. (LLM, conf=0.75)

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Authors
Chang, Z., Lichtenstein, P., D’Onofrio, B. M., Sjölander, A., & Larsson, H.
Affiliations
  • Karolinska Institutet (SE)
  • Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington
Corresponding author
Chang, Zheng
Venue
JAMA Psychiatry
Published
2014-03-01
Volume
71
Issue
3
Pages
319
ISSN
2168-622X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2120831849
Cited by
293
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 10 · 2012: 1
FWCI
19.33
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • JAMA Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD061817, HD061817)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality › Traffic and Road Safety
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
Keywords
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, transport accidents, ADHD medication, risk mitigation, sex differences, population attributable fraction, emergency department visits, road safety
MeSH terms
Accidents, Traffic, Adolescent, Adult, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Registries, Risk, Sex Factors, Sweden, Proportional Hazards Models, Young Adult

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