When Teens With AD/HD are Learning to Drive: Parent Strategies
Most parents of teens with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) are not surprised to see evidence of higher driving risks associated with having AD/HD. If your teenager has AD/HD, you have probably observed lapses in attention, persistence, activity regulation, gross motor control, reaction time, and rule-following behaviors in your child from an early age. Many youth with AD/HD are described as "accident prone." Others seem "spacey" and mentally wander off as they engage in activities. This does not mean that all teens with AD/HD are doomed to have poor driving records, nor are they destined to become driving failures. In fact, the difference between unsafe and safe teen drivers has more to do with the parents' behavior than you may think!
The fact is that there are many teens with AD/HD who are skilled, safe drivers. These are the teens whose parents set firm limits and carefully considered all the issues involved in the AD/HD diagnosis in conjunction with teen driving concerns before putting their teens with AD/HD behind the wheel. In this article, I will present specific steps you can take to help your teenager with AD/HD achieve skill and safety as a driver-in-training.
Parent Preparation
Even before you allow your teenager with AD/HD to get behind the wheel of a car, you will want to consider and address several factors, including:
- The possible impact of AD/HD and any co-existing conditions your teen has
- Medications your teenager takes while operating a vehicle
- Your teenager's maturity level and driving readiness
- State driving laws
- Automobile insurance coverage
- Formal driver training
- Supervised driving practice, including your expectations of your teen
In my book, AD/HD & Driving: A Guide for Parents of Teens with AD/HD, I outline "20 Steps for Parents to Promote Safe Driving Behaviors." Each step is discussed in depth and includes activities for parents and teens to do together. For this article, I recommend 10 steps to get you started:
1. Model safe driving behaviors. Children are natural mimics and learn by example. Knowing this, ask yourself these questions:
- Are you a good role model?
- Are you an informed and courteous driver?
- Do you use your cell phone while driving?
- Do you push or exceed the speed limit?
- Would you be comfortable watching your teen drive as you do?
2. Address AD/HD and any co-existing conditions or behavior problems your teen has that may impact his ability to drive safely. When learning to drive is compromised by mental health conditions (e.g., oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety disorders, or depression) parents and teens must make an effort to understand these complications, and work to minimize the risks involved. If your teen is involved in alcohol or substance abuse, obtaining a learner's permit should be delayed until your teen has successfully completed a treatment program.
A Word about Medication
As I explained in a previous article, research studies have shown that medications to treat AD/HD help drivers with the condition to be more attentive and in control of driving situations. Consider these medication tips:
- If your teen benefits from medication, make sure he is taking the medication during the times of day or night he is likely to be driving.
- Keep a letter from the prescribing physician to document your teen's need for the medication, and keep the letter in the glove box of the car. Because psychostimulants taken for AD/HD are categorized as controlled substances, your teen may need to produce medical documentation if ever stopped by a police officer while driving. This would apply if your teen is carrying the medication with him, or, in extreme cases, if he is subjected to a urinalysis which would reveal the medication in his system.
- If your teen takes additional medications for other chronic disorders or occasional illness (e.g., allergies), be sure they won't make him inattentive or sleepy while driving.
3. Determine your teenager's maturity and driving readiness. Young people with AD/HD are often emotionally and functionally immature when compared to their peers. Teenagers with AD/HD may take significantly longer to develop good judgment and a mature attitude toward driving. Teenagers who have explosive tempers, or are irresponsible or uncooperative, are not ready to drive. Parents must sign for a learner's permit to be issued to their child. Grant permission to obtain the learner's permit only when you and your teen are ready to assume the responsibilities involved.
Graduated licensing is one strategy that allows for young drivers to develop safe driving skills while minimizing risk of injury. With graduated licensing, a young and/or inexperienced driver receives a provisional license to drive with specific restrictions; these restrictions are lifted systematically as the driver gains experience and demonstrates competence. For a thorough discussion of graduated licensing, go to http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/newdriver/saveteens.
4. Become familiar with state laws regarding teen drivers. To be a safe driver, your teenager needs to know the rules of the road and understand why he is expected to obey them.
5. Select the vehicle your teen will be allowed to use while he learns to drive. Be aware that research has shown that when teens own their own cars, their grades go down and automobile injuries go up. Consider carefully the pros and cons of the car your teen is allowed to drive.
