Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Dec;27(14):1650-1661.
doi: 10.1177/10870547231197210. Epub 2023 Sep 9.

Executive Functioning as a Predictor of Adverse Driving Outcomes in Teen Drivers With ADHD

James D Lynch  1   2 , Leanne Tamm  2   3 , Annie A Garner  4 , Amina A Avion  4 , Donald L Fisher  5   6 , Adam W Kiefer  7 , James Peugh  2   3 , John O Simon  2 , Jeffery N Epstein  2   3
Affiliations

Executive Functioning as a Predictor of Adverse Driving Outcomes in Teen Drivers With ADHD

James D Lynch et al. J Atten Disord. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: The present study examined the association between executive functioning (EF) and risky driving behaviors in teens with ADHD.

Method: Teens diagnosed with ADHD (n = 179; Mage = 17.4 years) completed two 15-min drives in a fixed-base driving simulator. EF was assessed using parent- and self-report Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF-2), a temporal reproduction task, and a Go/No-Go task (GNG). Driving outcomes included known predictors of crashes: count of long (>2 s) off-road glances, standard deviation (SD) of lane position (SDLP), mean speed, and SD speed. Generalized linear mixed models, controlling for intelligence and driving experience, were conducted.

Results: Higher rates of GNG commission errors predicted higher rates of long off-road glances. Lower parent-rated EF and increased rates of GNG omission errors predicted SDLP. Higher rates of GNG commission errors also predicted faster average driving speed.

Conclusion: Heterogeneity in EF is associated with differences in teen ADHD risky driving behaviors.

Keywords: ADHD; driving; executive function; simulated driving performance.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Adam Kiefer is a co-inventor of University of North Carolina-owned intellectual property related to eye tracking and performance and is a co-founder of a company (Elipsys LLC).

References

    1. Aduen PA, Kofler MJ, Bradshaw CP, Sarver DE, & Cox DJ (2020). The role of top-down attentional control and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in predicting future motor vehicle crash risk. Neuropsychology, 34(8), 894–905. 10.1037/neu0000707 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Barkley RA (1997). Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: Constructing a unifying theory of ADHD. Psychological Bulletin, 121(1), 65–94. 10.1037/0033-2909.121.1.65 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Barkley RA (1998). Time perception application. University of Massachusetts Medical Center: Chesapeake Technology.
    1. Barkley RA, Murphy KR, Dupaul GI, & Bush T. (2002). Driving in young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Knowledge, performance, adverse outcomes, and the role of executive functioning. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 8(5), 655–672. 10.1017/s1355617702801345 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Beanland V, Fitzharris M, Young KL, & Lenné MG (2013). Driver inattention and driver distraction in serious casualty crashes: Data from the Australian national crash In-Depth Study. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 54, 99–107. 10.1016/j.aap.2012.12.043 - DOI - PubMed

Publication types