2010 BC Guide in Determining Fitness to Drive

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Axis I)The pattern of deficits in adults with ADHD is similar to that in children and adolescents. Oneof the primary cognitive functions that may be affected is the ability to sustain attention,particularly when performing demanding cognitive tasks. In addition to attentional impairments,individuals with ADHD often experience other cognitive deficits such as difficulties with: planning and forethought flexibility problem solving working memory, and response inhibition.Symptoms of ADHD referenced in the DSM-IV-TR that may be relevant to driving include:Inattention often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in school work, work,or other activities often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities often is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli.Hyperactivity-impulsivity often is “on the go” or acts as if “driven by a motor” often has difficulty awaiting his or her turn.Schizophrenia (Axis I)Neuropsychological deficits associated with Schizophrenia may impact driving. The degree offunctional impairment associated with schizophrenia varies between the acute and residualphases of the disorder. Neuropsychological functions that may be impaired include: attention executive function spatial abilities memory, and motor and tactile dexterity.Personality disorders (Axis II)The characteristics of personality disorders most likely to affect driving include: affectivity (e.g. aggression, frustration, anger) interpersonal functioning (e.g. failure to conform to social norms, reckless disregard for thesafety of others), and poor impulse control.234