Driving After a Concussion? The Importance of a Head Injury Assessment
If you’ve suffered a head injury, like a concussion from a vehicle crash, you know how the injury has impacted your life. A head injury assessment is vital to get within days of your crash. Global studies dating back to the mid-nineties prove that motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of head injuries1.
You might be chomping at the bit to get back to some sort of normalcy. Although to keep yourself and others safe, you need to take it slow when getting back behind the wheel. Symptoms of concussions are not always obvious and can be overlooked because of the busyness of life. When needing to work, take care of children, or do other tasks, the aftermath of a concussion can go ignored. This can cause more serious damage to your health.
A concussion can affect your ability to drive, potentially making it unsafe. If you haven’t completely recovered, there’s an increased chance you’ll have another accident. There’s no specific time frame for returning to driving after suffering a concussion. Everyone’s healing period is different. It can be confusing to know when and how you go about returning to normal driving activity.
Let’s explore the importance of rest and recovery from a concussion and how a head injury assessment can help you get the right treatment.
Driving with a Concussion
How does a concussion affect driving?
Driving is a complex activity. It requires you to do a lot of thinking. When you have a concussion, your brain has been injured. And just like an injured leg makes it harder to walk, an injured brain makes it harder to think. It makes controlling your vehicle and identifying hazards much more difficult. Since driving is so cognitively demanding, it can trigger symptoms or cause issues your brain just can’t handle. Driving while not fully recovered, can even be compared to driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Should I stop driving if I’ve had a concussion?
Absolutely! You should not get behind the wheel until you’ve been cleared by a health professional. Even if you feel okay driving, in reality, you may not be. And you might not realize it until you’re already on the road. At that point, you could be endangering yourself and everyone else.
When can I return to driving?
There’s no one answer to this question; everyone is different. It depends on your symptoms and the length of your recovery period. Talk to your doctor or other health professional about conducting a head injury assessment first before returning to driving.
How do I return to driving?
When you do get clearance to drive, don’t jump in for a cross-country road trip! Take it slow. Head to the corner store or drive to the park down the street. Ease your way back into it. Remember, if you had a broken leg, you wouldn’t run a marathon the day after your cast comes off. A driving professional could also help you become comfortable on the road again.
The Importance of a Head Injury Assessment
When should I get a head injury assessment?
As soon as you find out that you suffered a concussion or have symptoms consistent with a concussion, it is critical to schedule a neurological assessment. This will tell you how serious your concussion is. A head injury assessment is important to determine the right treatment for you as soon as possible.
Head Injury Assessment and Concussion Treatment
Schedule an appointment now with your primary care physician (PCP) to receive a head injury assessment. This is the first step to recovering from a concussion. Once it is confirmed you have a concussion, a treatment plan can be developed specifically for you. Your primary goal should be to get better so you can return to your everyday life.
Want to learn more about neurological assessments? Visit Agile Screening today to learn more about the different screenings you can receive.
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