Can You Drive Safely With a Concussion?

A concussion is one of the more common injuries you can experience during road mishaps. If you get concussed, you’re supposed to rest and take things easy. However, you might feel well enough to drive, especially if you didn’t get knocked out during the accident. Or maybe something important came up, and you absolutely must go.

So you start asking yourself: “Can I drive with a concussion? Is it safe to drive while concussed?” Let’s look at what a concussion entails and its effects on your ability to drive your car.

Can You Drive With a Concussion?

Unfortunately, no. It’s not safe to drive when concussed. Many concussion symptoms can interfere with your driving ability. You might put yourself at risk of another accident if you insist on driving your car.

If you absolutely must go somewhere, get someone to drive you there. You can also hire a taxi or use public transportation.

Refrain from driving until your doctor confirms you have recovered from your concussion. Only then can you get back behind your car’s steering wheel.

Why Should You Not Drive With a Concussion?

You rely on your brain to do tasks like operating your car, and driving works your brain harder than most activities.

Think about it. Your hands are full when you drive. You constantly monitor your car’s state, such as its position, current speed, and engine temperature.

At the same time, you keep an eye out for things outside your car. Other drivers ply the road, pedestrians cross the street, and traffic lights change colors.

You must stay on top of any changes and make the appropriate adjustments. If the temperature gauge suddenly shows excessively high engine temperatures, you must pull over safely.

Furthermore, you must plan your next move. You have a destination in mind and must follow directions there. If the next turn on your route approaches, you must prepare to maneuver your car while compensating for its condition and other people on the road.

Think about juggling all those tasks while you’re tired, sleepy, or hurt. You might have even done so in the past. It was likely not fun and probably put yourself and others in some danger.

Concussions exhibit symptoms similar to exhaustion and sleepiness. They also tend to affect the parts of your brain that work while you drive your car.

To use an automotive analogy, driving with a concussion is akin to driving your automatic car when one of its critical computer modules has failed.

Theoretically, you can keep operating your vehicle despite a bad powertrain control module (PCM) or anti-brake lock system (ABS) control module. However, you will make your life harder. You also run the risk of damaging parts regulated by the faulty module. And if you lose control of your vehicle, you might end up in an accident.

Now replace your car with your body and its faulty control module with your brain in that analogy. You wouldn’t drive with a bad computer, so why insist on doing so while suffering from a concussion?

What Is a Concussion?

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) where the patient’s brain briefly stops working like normal. Experts define it as a minor TBI because it usually isn’t life-threatening but shouldn’t be ignored nonetheless.

Mechanical force or trauma can make the brain undergo an immediate but temporary change in how it functions. For example, a patient’s level of consciousness might change from being fully awake to feeling sleepy.

Two things commonly cause concussions. The first is old-fashioned head trauma, where something directly hits the patient’s head.

The second involves the patient’s head rapidly speeding up and then slowing down just as quickly.

Contrary to what TV shows and movies present, most concussions do not cause people to fall unconscious. Patients often remain awake during minor TBI.

Furthermore, some patients might not display outward signs of head trauma, such as bleeding. Remember that just because blood isn’t coming out of someone’s nose or ears after experiencing head trauma or whiplash doesn’t mean they don’t have a concussion.

What Are the Symptoms of a Concussion?

Here is a list of common symptoms associated with concussion:

• Confusion
• Double vision, blurry vision, and other vision-related issues
• Dizziness or imbalance
• Headache
• Insomnia
• Loss of your sense of taste and smell
• Memory loss
• Nausea
• Ringing ears
• Photosensitivity (sensitive to bright light)
• Poor concentration
• Vomiting

Experiencing any of these symptoms after hitting your head or experiencing whiplash might indicate that you have a concussion. Consult your doctor immediately.

When Can You Drive Again After a Concussion?

Driving with a concussion is a terrible idea, but you also can’t just stay at home all the time. You have places to go and people to meet. How long must you wait before you can safely drive your car again?

Medical experts recommend resting for one to two days. Afterward, you should limit yourself to light activities for at least several days or until your doctor clears you for more strenuous things. 

The typical patient makes a full recovery from a concussion, and new research suggests that some therapies that gently stimulate the brain might help speed the healing process.

However, some people might experience concussion symptoms for more than two days. The symptoms might last weeks or months, especially if the patient ignores them.

Children, teens, and older adults generally take more time to recover from a concussion. Younger patients have developing brains vulnerable to injury, while older people heal slower. People from these age groups are more susceptible to concussions.

Furthermore, former patients are more likely to suffer a new concussion in future accidents. The worst-case scenario involves a second concussion shortly after the first one. The second traumatic brain injury can pose a real threat to someone’s life.

Concussions make driving your car difficult and unsafe. Until your doctor gives you a clean bill of health, avoid driving. If you must go somewhere, use alternative means of transportation.