Could ADHD Medications Help Lower the Number of Traffic Accidents?

A recent study shows that taking Adderall and other ADHD medications could help decrease the number of deaths due to car accidents. A 4-year study that involved 17,000 individuals with ADHD showed that 45 percent of the participants were more likely to be involved in a serious car or motorcycle accident when compared to those without the condition.

"Even though many people with ADHD are doing well, our results indicate that the disorder may have very serious consequences," Henrik Larsson, associate professor at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics said, via a press release. "Our study also demonstrates in several different ways that the risk of transport accidents in adult men with ADHD decreases markedly if their condition is treated with medication."

In particular, results showed that men with ADHD who took medication for the issue had a significantly lower incidence of traffic accidents when compared to those who did not. The study even suggests that up to 41 percent of traffic accidents involving men with ADHD could be prevented if they received the proper medication.

"Despite having shown that medication for ADHD very likely reduces men's risk of transport accidents, we could not establish a similar reduction in women's accident risk," Larsson added. "We need further data to be able to comment about the effect on women with statistical certainty. It is also important to point out that most pharmaceutical treatments carry a risk of side effects. The risks must be weighed against the benefits for every individual prescription, taking into account the individual patient's situation."

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The findings are published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.