Adults diagnosed with a concussion are at increased risk of a traffic accident

Adults diagnosed with a concussion are at increased risk of a traffic accident

Adults diagnosed with a concussion may be about 50 percent more likely to have a subsequent traffic accident, according to a new study by researchers at ICES and the Sunnybrook Research Institute.

Concussions can temporarily impair brain function, causing symptoms such as insomnia, dizziness, depression, brain fog and slowed reaction times that can last for weeks. These symptoms can affect driving skills and increase the risk of a car accident.

I worry that a concussion sometimes requires more recovery time than most people realize. “Speeding things could result in further injury, including a life-threatening road accident.”

Dr. Donald Redelmeier, scientist at ICES and Sunnybrook Research Institute

Key findings:

• Das erhöhte Risiko eines Verkehrsunfalls ist in den ersten vier Wochen nach einer Gehirnerschütterung besonders hoch.
• Durch wiederholte Gehirnerschütterungen stiegen die Gesamtverkehrsrisiken weiter an.
• Die Verkehrsrisiken galten auch für Fußgänger, die die Straße überquerten.
• Von den 425.158 Erwachsenen, bei denen in der Studie eine Gehirnerschütterung diagnostiziert wurde, wurde einer von 13 Patienten bei einem anschließenden Verkehrsunfall verletzt.
• Das erhöhte Risiko war für insgesamt 1.633 Notrufe, 59.978 Tage im Krankenhaus und medizinische Kosten in Höhe von 835 Millionen US-Dollar verantwortlich.

Some limitations of the study include the lack of data on concussion severity as well as other factors that predispose patients to concussions and contribute to traffic accidents. Although the results cannot clarify cause and effect, concussions can cause symptoms that increase the risk of a serious traffic accident.

“These results underscore the importance of traffic safety after a concussion and concussion prevention,” said Robert Tibshirani, a statistics professor at Stanford University and also a co-author of the study.

Researchers recommend that patients treat insomnia, headaches, depression or substance abuse and also avoid high-speed driving late at night and in bad weather for the first month after a concussion. Doctors should also educate patients about road safety after a concussion.

The study, “Concussions and Risk of Subsequent Traffic Accident: Retrospective Cohort Analysis in Ontario, Canada,” is published in the November issue ofBMJ open.

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