United States: Youth with mood disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder, are more likely to go through the process of getting a driving license, as research indicates. The study showed that adolescents and young people with these emotions were 30% more likely not to receive a driving license than their peers without these emotions. The study also showed that mood disorder-affected youth were higher in the category of license losses and damage to the car, as reported by the Associated Press.
Mood disorders can impact driving skills.
The study also pointed out the fact that the driving performance of mood disorder sufferers can be impaired by its effect on attention, memory, and motor coordination. Adolescents who have just obtained their driving license and have some depression or mood disorder are two times more likely to crash than their classmates. According to the research, another finding that emerged is that the possibility of accidents increases by 16% during the first year of having a permit and by 19% within the first four years.
Education can help young people with mood disorders
The study highlights the need for evidence-based training and education programs to prepare adolescents and young adults with mood disorders to be safe drivers. The researchers compared the data of more than 1,900 young adults with mood disorders to more than 84,000 teenagers without mood disorders eligible for obtaining a driver’s license. The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Christopher Gaw, emphasized the importance of developing training and education programs to address the challenges that young people with mood disorders face in obtaining their driver’s licenses.