Oh hey, let me blame something else on ADD…

[ashockley55]

Soooooo…..ya’ll know how they say that ADDers can tend to be more accident prone? like, with cars? In general, yes, I bump into things all the time, but isn’t that more clumsiness than accident prone, or is that essentially the same thing?

Wait.

Anyway, more accident prone or likely to make traffic violations. I think I heard that somewhere.

Here’s something for ya.

I recently got a letter in the mail that my auto insurance company was dropping my coverage because (they tell you to flip the page over to find the reason and then it lists) I had three accidents. Late in 2010, I left work, got in my car, and backed into another car that was parked (illegally, I might add) just outside of the carry-out window. Midway through 2011, I hit another car head-on when we both pulled out from our respective locations into the middle off the road and into each other. Neither of us looked. There were no stop signs or red lights, it’s soft of a cross at your own risk into the street scenario. Earlier this year, I ran off the side of a road and blew out my tire. I had to claim it as an accident to get the tire repaired; I couldn’t afford to do it on my own.

They said they wanted to keep me as a customer, but they would be transferring me to a subsidiary company and *ahem* *cough* *here’s the important part*

Raising My Rates Through The Rough At An Exponential Level Equivalent To The Creation Of The Universe.

So, ADD costs.

It costs a whole lot.

Luckily, I was able to call another insurance company, compare rates, and get something less expensive but still, for my past somewhat failed excursions, I am paying dearly, and through the nose, as it were.

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[Wgreen]

ADD is expensive. And, when behind the wheel, it can be dangerous—even fatal.

I’m surprised insurance underwriters don’t ask about ADD when they write a policy. Consider: it is said that distraction (texting, talking on the phone, applying makeup, eating) renders a sober driver as dangerous as a drunk one—four times as likely to be involved in an accident. http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/technology/series/driven_to_distraction/index.html

ADDers are constantly distracted by… well, by just about everything. If one employs a syllogism (“distraction exponentially increases risk” and “ADDers are by nature constantly distracted”) it then follows that we might as well be driving under the influence every time we pull out of the driveway. Of course, some ADDers are more distracted than others. Still, it’s something to consider.

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[Anonymous]

No accidents for quite a while but I pay for speeding tickets and higher insurance rates because of the points incurred, and thatswith the help of one of the traffic violation fighting companies.

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[Rick Green – Founder of TotallyADD]

A number of studies have shown that ADHD folks have higher rates of car accidents.

2 to 4 times as many! The studies were done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 1997, and a couple of studies done by Russell Barkley and other in 1993 and 1996.

On a more personal level, I’ve been involved in four or five accidents. But all at less than 4 miles per hour. However when I am going fast, I’m fine. In fact, my son and I beat everyone at the Go Kart track. But it’s better if my wife parks the car when we get there!

One of the ways I have improved my driving is to remind myself I’m travelling in a machine that can kill a lot of people, including my passengers, and I also set goals for myself, like seeing how well I can stay exactly in the middle of my lane. I challenge myself to be a better driver.

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[Anonymous]

Strangely enough I’m at my best driving or riding my motorcycles……motion….speed…..the rush of acceleration…..negotiating corners and curves….all of that fits my ADD brain…….I love it. Go figure……Woooohooooo!!!!

Toofat

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[Anonymous]

Soooo embarrassed today!!! Parking lots can be a problem – I don’t know how many times I haven’t noticed one of those concrete dividers about 6 inches high and drive right over it. Well today I got stuck on one. My car was kind of perched on it until 2 big strong guys came along and lifted it off. A thousand shades of red I was.

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[Anonymous]

Seems I may not have ADD after all. I take my driving extremely seriously, and, I thought, was hyper-focusing.

Whilst living in London, I joined the London Advanced Motorcyclists, a group that follows the English motorcycle police’s training manual. I reached about 85% of the police standard, and @ 90% you get a police officer follow you and grade your riding. If you pass you get cheaper insurance and kudos. Any way, on my way to work, so idiot pulled out and hit me. After recovering I vowed to never have another accident, and for the passed 10 years have never broken a traffic law. Had a few close calls, but thanks to the earlier training, managed to avoid accidents.

It takes a little practice, but now I can drive at any speed limit without looking at my speed. The fun part is when the speed limit changes, you get to the next speed as fast as possible, the object is to make as much progress as possible within the law. There is so much to concentrate on when I am driving that I don’t have time to text, talk on the phone, eat, drink, adjust the radio, change CDs etc.

When I drive, or ride, the only thing I do is drive (and perhaps sing, if I’m riding).

Perhaps I am still ADD with a realistic view of how much is involved in driving safely.

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[Tiddler]

I find my driving is best when there are lots of distractions. I like to have ‘big’ conversations in the car about stuff I have to really think about. And if it’s busy or the conditions are poor or it’s otherwise challenging, I love driving. That’s when my driving is at its best – I’m clear headed, focused and able to spot potential dangers extremely quickly.

Put me in a stop start, 10mph situation though and it’s just a nightmare.

And reverse parking, but I’m sure I’m not the only woman who hates doing that!

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[billd]

I’m with wgreen – and toofat.

Too bad I sold my bike as I wanted money for a different purchase, and, due to an ACCIDENT, and some comments my wife made while a trooper was present, I had to take the test again (which I ace anyway) and I never bothered getting the motorcycle portion back as I had other interests (I was distracted by an expensive and rare antique engine I wanted badly)

I am with toofat – the bike was the safest thing I ever had. I never once had even a close call. It kept my attention. I was never drowsy (even with my EDS) and never was “unalert”. Part was knowing what happens when one doesn’t pay attention on a bike (I used to work at On With Life, and trust me, brain injuries I saw made me wanna cry for those folks).

Oh, I did stupid stuff – I once worked on a bike for a customer in a shop I used to work in – he complained it had no top end. When I had it fixed I made sure it had good top end. Apparently a highway patrolman on his way to our shop to have his state car worked on saw me and told the boss……. he just said it was stupid, and he was afraid I was going to get hurt.

I have had SO many accidents over the years, but the speeding tickets, especially as a teen and young adult made my insurance call me one time and ask “hey, what’s up here, is there a problem?”

It’s not a cop out or “let’s blame something else on ADD”, it’s a fact. Studies, real-life people like me, it’s all there. Just ask the deer I killed a few weeks ago while on my way to work with my classic collector car….. and what THAT is costing me. Thank goodness it wasn’t the Javelin.

A motorcycle changes me – I’m in control, I’m alert, and I’m an artist with a bike able to move with great skill. Put me in a car, I need to go fast, get out of my way, or, I’m dozing off and have no clue where I am at times. I get there, but it’s not without a “moment” or two of “did I just miss a turn? No, I’m still 1 mile away, or, gee, where am I? Oh, ok, I know now”.

My son since he was a little tike could ride in a car with anyone, front seat, back seat, whatever, tell you of the landmarks along the way when it was all over, and in later years, could drive back to those places himself. He’s got some of the mild traits of ADHD from me, but he’s got those made up for in other ways. But poor guy, you can tell it’s in there lurking.

It was a sort of wake-up call as my wife was there at the time…………. I still have my moments, and I still get impatient, but as luck would have it, when I’m paying attention, alert, etc. – I actually have driving skills that border on professional. Too bad ADHD gets into the driver’s seat before my underlying abilities.

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[trashman]

I was a professional for years and I have to say i shouldn’t have been.with a visual spacial disability as well . I have had a lot of tickets and accidents over the years. with unreliable memory as well my years on the hwy were stressful o say the least. The place I last drove or was very stressful ,backing into dark doors and long hours was hard. then to be told I was over paid put me into a deep depression, because the short term disability wanted me to keep driving my doc pulled my licence . just to find out that she will not only not give me my truck drivers back ok, but also said I will never get my motorcycle licence back. all I can hope for is maybe my regular car licence back some day?. I loved my motorcycle still makes me sad!!! I find getting out on the road very peaceful and calming and for me a good place to concentrate. now I am just screwed .

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[Rick Green – Founder of TotallyADD]

Yes, Aschockley55, we do have higher car accident rates.

As I mentioned above studies done by the NHTSA in 1997 and by Dr. Russell Barkley and others in 93 and 96 suggest we have two to four times the number of car accidents. As I mention in one of my rants, my son and I are demons at the Go-Kart track, but it’s ways better if my wife drives us there. When it’s intense and crazy, we’re really good. Routine traffic, we’re lost on thought…

Since i was a kid I’ve hd a belief that I’m clumsy. But I know a big part of it comes from rushing, not being present, lost in thought, etc..

I used to stub my toe all the time. Now that I’ve been dealing with my ADHD it’s rare that I do it, and it never happens when I’m present. (Which is not nearly as often as I like.)

There’s also something called Physical Intelligence. It covers stuff like Body Awareness and co-ordination and sports skills.

I don’t think I have a lot of that, so I’m trying to develop it. Right now I’m learning to juggle a Diabolo. It’s a toy/gadget that you spin and whip in all kinds of directions. I’m doing gonna make some Rant Videos about what I’m learning from trying to master this toy. (We saw a Cirque de Soleil show in Orlando and these four tiny girls where whipping these things around the way Neo battles Agent Smith in The Matrix. I thought, “That’s cool. I have to try that.” And sure enough, three years later I finally got around to buying one and trying to learn. )

We shall see how well it goes.

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