About 1 in every 4 adults with 22q11.2DS will develop schizophrenia, a condition in which patients become out of touch with reality and struggle to function in their daily lives. While schizophrenia is a serious illness, it is treatable using antipsychotic medications and support. These standard medications are essential for people to get back to their normal self and recover from this illness.
A new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) examined 1130 car crashes involving 1001 drivers who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. The researchers found that the drivers who did not take their antipsychotic medications at all were twice as likely to crash their cars compared to those who took their antipsychotic medications exactly as the doctor instructed.
This study shows that taking antipsychotic medications exactly as the doctor says helps individuals with schizophrenia be safer drivers. This is another example of how helpful the medications are when they are taken - the right medication, the right dose, at the right time for a treatable condition.
If you have any concerns about your health conditions or your medications, please discuss them with your doctor.
Here is the original research report: Antipsychotic treatment adherence and motor vehicle crash among drivers with schizophrenia: a case–crossover studyStaples JA, Daly-Grafstein D, Khan M, Pei LX, Erdelyi S, Rezansoff SN, Chan H, Honer WG, Brubacher JR. CMAJ. 2025 Jun 8;197(22):E612-E619. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.250020.