Home
>
Parenting
>
What About ADHD Teens and Driving?

What About ADHD Teens and Driving?

This is one of the most common questions asked of me by parents of teenagers who have ADHD.

"Should I let my teen drive when he turns 16? He seems so immature. But it would mean so very much to him."

Wait. Where did our wisdom as parents go? Should we let an immature 16 year old, with poor impulse control and poor judgment get behind the wheel of a 3000 pound vehicle and drive at 65 miles per hour through town? Ummm, no.

Since ADHD teens typically have emotional, physical, and developmental delays of from 3 to 6 years, compared to their peers, allowing a 16 year old with ADHD to drive your car is roughly the same as letting an 11 year old drive your car. You can expect to get the same results. What would you expect the results of an 11 year old driving your car around the city be? Tickets? Accidents? Yes!

And teenagers with ADHD have 400% more tickets and traffic accidents than do teens without ADHD. This is exactly the results that you would expect to get because of the developmental delays.

Hyperactive ADHD'er are stimulated by speeding. And speeding results in tickets and in accidents.

Inattentive ADHD'er tend to get lost, and tend to run out of gas often, and tend to not watch out for the "other guy." They will have more than their share of fender benders in parking lots. Be sure they always have a charged cell phone with them so that they can call you when they run out of gas, and are lost.

Try to wait until your ADHD teen is at least 18 before you let them drive, if you can. It is a SAFETY issue for them, and for others. To learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and your teen, visit us at the ADHD Information Library at http://www.add101.com.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.add101.com, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

Rolling Meadows Cadillac Escalade rental .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

There are a number of features with AirPods you may or may not know about to take your listening experience to the next level. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.

These 35 Chrome extensions have privacy and security concerns. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says to delete them now.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 329,000 mph fusion rocket promises to be fast, disruptive and enable deep-space missions.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a new autonomous AI is a game changer that also raises privacy risks. Is your data safe?

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says robots and drones are revolutionizing fruit farming with faster picking and smarter handling.

Landmark Admin revises May 2024 cyberattack scope to show twice as many people were affected. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to help stay safe from an insurance data breach.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Yamaha’s hydrogen outboard motor could revolutionize boating with zero emissions.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to memorialize or remove a deceased loved one’s Facebook account and protect their digital legacy from misuse or scams.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says an Apple Watch saved psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner by detecting deadly leukemia early.

Scammers and fraudsters are increasingly targeting the most vulnerable, especially nursing homes and the personal data of their residents. Kurt the CyberGuy has safety tips.

Infected USB flash drives can spread malware among multiple organizations in ways that can easily bypass traditional security systems.

With a fully automated warehouse system and AI-powered robots, Ocado's Hive picks, packs and delivers grocery store orders in just a few minutes.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Recycling robots are using artificial intelligence to learn how to sort recyclables by recognizing patterns in colors, textures, shapes and logos.

The Reachy 2 robot is designed to be friendly and approachable, inviting natural interaction and is perfect for research, education and experimenting with embodied AI.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares several easy ways to keep your credit cards safe from digital thieves while you're traveling this summer.

Arcturus sets up cameras around the edges of baseball stadiums to capture real-time action and generate a 3D digital clone of the game.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The CyberGuy explains why healthcare organizations are vulnerable to hackers after there have been a half dozen data breaches this year.

Developed at two California universities, the innovative technology combines brain-computer interfaces with advanced AI to decode neural activity into audible speech.

Microsoft patches 12 critical flaws, but six have already been exploited by criminals. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says updating your system is only a short-term fix.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how robots can milk, feed and clean cows on dairy farms, boosting efficiency and comfort.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says quantum internet ensures unhackable security and redefines online privacy and speed.

Kawasaki's CORLEO is a hydrogen-powered, AI-driven rideable robot. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reports on this new way of thinking about off-road transportation.

What About ADHD Teens and Driving?

Parenting