A new study from Canada suggests that people who suffer a concussion may be at a higher risk of getting into a traffic crash afterward—even weeks later.
The study was conducted by researchers at ICES and Sunnybrook Research Institute and was published in the journal BMJ Open.
It followed over 425,000 adults in Ontario who were diagnosed with a concussion to see how many were involved in a traffic crash after their injury.
Concussions are a type of mild brain injury that can happen after a blow to the head. While they’re usually not life-threatening, they can cause troubling symptoms like brain fog, dizziness, trouble sleeping, slower reaction time, and mood changes such as depression.
These problems may seem small, but they can make daily tasks—including driving—more dangerous.
The study found that people with a concussion were about 50% more likely to be involved in a traffic accident than those without one. The risk was especially high during the first four weeks after the injury.
Researchers also noticed that people who had more than one concussion faced an even greater risk. And it wasn’t just drivers—people walking across the street (pedestrians) were also more likely to be hurt in crashes after a concussion.
Among all the patients in the study, one out of every 13 was later injured in a traffic accident. These accidents resulted in over 1,600 ambulance calls, nearly 60,000 days spent in the hospital, and more than $800 million in medical costs.
These numbers show how big an impact concussions can have—not just on individuals, but on the entire healthcare system.
Dr. Donald Redelmeier, a scientist involved in the study, said that concussions may need more time to heal than many people think. If someone goes back to normal life too quickly, including driving, they might get injured again. In the worst cases, that injury could be a serious car crash.
While the study couldn’t prove for sure that concussions caused the crashes, it did show a strong link. Researchers also admitted there were some limitations.
For example, they didn’t have exact data on how severe each concussion was, or whether other conditions (like substance use or poor driving habits) played a role. Still, the symptoms of a concussion could easily explain why someone might not drive as safely afterward.
The authors of the study recommend that patients recovering from a concussion should take special care when it comes to driving. They should avoid late-night trips, bad weather, and high-speed roads in the weeks after their injury.
People with ongoing symptoms such as insomnia, headaches, depression, or anxiety should talk to a doctor and get proper treatment. Doctors are also encouraged to talk to their patients about road safety after a concussion and help them understand when it’s safe to get behind the wheel again.
The study highlights how important it is to prevent concussions in the first place and to be cautious during the recovery period. Taking time to fully heal can protect not only the patient but also everyone else on the road.
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The study is published in BMJ Open.
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