Safer driving for teens with ADHD
Improving ADHD Teen Driving
A training program that teaches teens with ADHD to keep their eyes on the road to lower crash risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193513 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You might join a training program called FOCAL+ that was created to help teens with ADHD reduce long off-road glances and keep steadier in the lane. In a previous randomized trial, teens who received FOCAL+ had about 41% fewer long glances and a 40% lower risk of crash or near-crash over a year compared with control training. Because the original program relied on expensive and complex hardware and software, this project focuses on making the training easier and cheaper to deliver so more families can access it. If you take part, you may do training exercises and driving assessments in simulated or natural driving settings that measure eye glances and driving safety.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Teen drivers diagnosed with ADHD, especially newly licensed or inexperienced drivers, are the ideal candidates for this program.
Not a fit: Drivers without ADHD, older experienced drivers, or people unable to attend the required training sessions are less likely to receive benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successfully scaled, the program could reduce crash risk for teens with ADHD by teaching safer attention and glance behavior while driving.
How similar studies have performed: A prior randomized trial of FOCAL+ demonstrated substantial improvements—about 41% fewer long glances and 40% lower crash/near-crash risk—so the approach has shown real-world promise.
Where this research is happening
Cincinnati, United States
- Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr — Cincinnati, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Epstein, Jeff N. — Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Epstein, Jeff N.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.