Written by Ben Thayer, Co-Founder & Co-Owner · 3 min read

Clinical reviewer: Dr. Jon Kimball, MD, Co-Founder, Clinical Lead · Review date added after clinical review

Published

Educational information only. Not medical or legal advice. Questions? Book a 15-minute call or phone 813-709-3771.

Who this is for: Written for people deciding when to drive again after a concussion, including those who drive for a living, and their families.

Key takeaways

  • Driving demands visual scanning, divided attention, judgment of distance and speed, and fast reactions.
  • Lingering headaches, dizziness, vision problems, slowed thinking, fatigue or traffic anxiety are reasons for caution.
  • Getting lost on familiar routes, missed turns and near-misses are important warning signs.
  • Ask your treating provider directly whether it is safe to drive. The decision is theirs.
  • Arrange rides while you recover so you are not pressured to drive before you are ready.

Driving demands more than people realize

Driving combines constant visual scanning, quick decisions, divided attention, judgments of distance and speed, and fast reactions, often in heavy Florida traffic, through glare and sudden rain. A concussion can affect several of those abilities at once, sometimes in ways people do not notice themselves. Someone who feels mostly fine at home may find a busy interstate merge overwhelming, or react a fraction of a second slower than usual.

A concussion can affect several driving abilities at once, sometimes in ways people do not notice themselves.

Signs you may not be ready

An open journal with a pen resting on a blank page
A simple daily symptom log gives the treating provider a clear trend.

Be cautious if you still have headaches that make it hard to focus, dizziness or balance problems, blurred or double vision, sensitivity to glare, trouble concentrating, slowed thinking, unusual fatigue or anxiety in traffic. Getting lost on familiar routes, missing turns and near-misses are important warning signs. Sedating medications can also affect driving.

Talk with your provider before you drive

Ask your treating provider directly whether it is safe for you to drive, and describe your symptoms honestly. The decision belongs to your provider, based on your situation. In the meantime, arrange rides so you do not feel pressured to drive before you are ready.

Related in this series: Dizziness and Balance Problems After a Crash, Returning to Work After a Concussion: Talking to Your Doctor and Teen Drivers and Concussion After an Accident: A Parent Guide. For the full overview, start with our guide, Recovery, Work and Family.

How standardized testing can inform the conversation

Eye-movement, attention and processing-speed measures, reviewed by a physician, give your provider more information about the functions driving relies on. The results do not automatically clear or restrict anyone, but they help inform a careful decision.

Test results do not automatically clear or restrict anyone, but they help inform a careful decision.

If you drive for a living

Physician in a white coat speaking with a patient
The treating provider reviews the findings and decides on care.

Rideshare, delivery, trucking and sales jobs add pressure to get back behind the wheel. Tell your provider exactly what your job involves. Returning too soon can put you and others at risk.

Anxiety after a crash

Feeling nervous in a car after an accident is common. Mention it to your provider. Support is available, and anxiety can affect concentration on the road.

For family members

If you are worried about a loved one's driving, ride along on a short trip and watch for slowed reactions, drifting, missed signs or unusual frustration. Share what you notice with their provider, and offer rides in the meantime. Florida's long drives, tourist traffic and sudden afternoon storms make extra caution worthwhile.

Emergency warning signs

Do not drive yourself if you have a worsening headache, vomiting, confusion, vision loss, weakness or a seizure. Call 911.

Frequently asked questions

When can I drive after a concussion?

That's a decision to make with your treating provider.

What signs suggest I'm not ready?

Feeling overwhelmed in traffic, slow reactions, dizziness or trouble tracking moving cars.

Can testing help with the decision?

Standardized findings can inform your provider's conversation with you; the provider decides.

Related reading:
How mobile testing works Concussion & TBI testing For patients Service areas concussion and returning to work demand letter head injury documentation

We diagnose. You treat.

Mobile, physician-reviewed concussion and TBI diagnostics for Florida providers and their accident patients. Reports go to the treating provider, who decides care.

Book a 15-minute callRefer a patient

Or call 813-709-3771

Sources

This article is educational and is not medical or legal advice. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.