A recent study revealed individuals who are recovering from a recent concussion should think twice before getting behind the wheel.
According to a study published in the BMJ Open, researchers discovered that concussion patients experience an increased risk of traffic accidents, particularly within the first months following injury.
For the study, researchers assessed medical records from over three million patients in Ontario, Canada, between 2002 and 2022.
Of these, 425,000 had concussions and 2.6 million had ankle sprains. The research discovered that concussion patients were 49% more likely to suffer from concussions than those with ankle sprains, and they are at six times increased risk during the first four weeks post-injury.
Concussions can lead to dizziness, insomnia, slower reaction times, brain fog, and other factors that impair driving.
lead researcher from Toronto’s Sunnybrook Research Institute Dr. Donald Redelmeier stated, “Sometimes a concussion requires more recovery time than people realize,”
Donald continued, “Rushing things might lead to another injury, including a life-threatening traffic crash.”
Scientists further urged patients to treat post-concussion symptoms such as depression, and headaches before driving again and to avoid high-speed or late-night driving during recovery.
Robert Tibshirani of Stanford University said, “These results highlight the importance of traffic safety following a concussion.”
