Concussed adolescents are returning to driving sooner than might be safe

By Ike Smalley. This article was initially published in our Concussion Update newsletter; please consider subscribing.

In a study presented at the American Neurological Association annual meeting, researcher Catherine M. McDonald, PhD, RN, FAAN, found that many adolescents with concussions return to driving sooner than might be safe. The study measured driving performance and prefrontal cortical activation patterns in 34 adolescents, half previously concussed, as they engaged in a driving simulation. While performance was roughly equal before any distractions, prefrontal cortex activation was significantly better in uninjured participants when experiencing a simulated distraction such as a phone call or checking a map. Robert Herpen, in an article for Helio, notes, “Those with concussion had more trouble with decision-making and reaction times than those without.” 

The study implies that complicated driving environments might be more difficult for recently concussed youth to navigate safely. Many adolescents return to driving in less than 7 days after their injury, while the study results suggest a safer guideline might be a minimum of 10 days. McDonald highlighted an app named “Way to Drive,” which tracks driving data and can be used to monitor symptoms, allowing parents and youth to make better decisions about driving after a concussion.