title: Pre-driving evaluation of a teen with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teens, and those teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder (ADHD/ASD) may have a greater crash risk.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This case study compared the pre-driving skills of a teen with ADHD/ASD to an age- and gender-matched healthy control (HC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from performance on clinical tests and on a driving simulator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main impairments of the teen with ADHD/ASD were the ability to shift attention, perform simple sequential tasks, integrate visual-motor responses, and coordinate motor responses, whereas the HC demonstrated intact skills in these abilities. The teen with ADHD/ASD made 44 driving errors during the drive, and the HC made 17. The teen with ADHD/ASD had more lane maintenance, visual scanning, and speeding errors compared to the HC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Teens with ADHD/ASD may have more pre-driving deficits and may require a certified driving rehabilitation specialist to assess readiness to drive, but a larger study is needed to confirm this.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, and Institute for Mobility, Activity and Participation, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, PO Box 100164, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monahan
authors.forename: Sherrilene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Classen
authors.forename: Patty V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Helsel
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control; D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000523:psychology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis