#70 - Return to Driving After Concussion

After a concussion, patients may be experiencing cognitive deficits and/or physical symptoms that can impair their ability to drive. Reaction time, concentration, visual perception, and memory are all cognitive tasks used in driving that may be impaired following a concussion.

ImPACT provides objective measures of memory, reaction time, and processing speed which can be helpful in determining a patient’s readiness to return to driving.

Once you feel a patient is fit to return to driving, provide extra precautions for them to take such as

• Practicing in a parking lot or on backroads
• Drive short distances
• Drive familiar routes
• Avoid driving at night
• Avoid additional distractions such as other passengers or music