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

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; M_age = 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.