You are on the Fastest Route: A Clinician’s Roadmap to Managing Return-to-Drive After Concussion
Abstract:
Recent statements from the NATA and AMSSM mention driving after concussion and highlight the role of clinicians in providing post-concussion driving recommendations to patients. Driving requires the prompt interaction of visual, motor, and cognitive skills - which are commonly impaired after concussion. Individuals with concussion present with poorer vehicle control acutely following concussion. Yet, only 44% of patients reduce their driving following injury. The delicate balance between driving safety, patient autonomy, and medical-legal considerations make this process uniquely challenging. We will discuss: emerging research findings, patient recommendation approaches, return-to-drive progressions, and using clinical assessments to guide this process.
Learning Objectives:
- Synthesize information related to post-concussion driving safety.
- Apply emerging research to develop appropriate patient recommendations on driving safety following concussion.
- Apply gradual return-to-drive strategies in various clinical scenarios, when appropriate.
Level:
Essential
Domain(s):
Domain 1: Risk Reduction Wellness and Health Literacy
Domain 2: Assessment Evaluation and Diagnosis
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention
Domain 5: Health Care Administration and Professional Responsibility
Orthopedic Domain(s):
N/A
CEUs:
1.0 Category A
Keywords:
mild traumatic brain injury, transportation
In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.
Course Expiration:
All sessions of the NATA 76th Symposia On-Demand must be completed by October 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CDT.
For full details, refer to the expiration policy on our FAQ page.
Julianne Schmidt, PhD, LAT, ATC
Dr. Julianne Schmidt is a Georgia Athletic Association Endowed Professor at the University of Georgia (UGA). Dr. Schmidt co-directs the UGA Concussion Research Center that provides clinical services to UGA Athletics, the University Health Center, and the Athens area. She completed her bachelor’s in Athletic Training at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, CA. She then completed her master’s and PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dr. Schmidt’s concussion research and clinical practice address a wide range of topics, including: prevention, education, evaluation, and management. Her primary goals with these areas of research are:
• Develop recommendations and guidelines related to driving after concussion.
• Increase the number of individuals that seek medical care following a concussion.
• Improve post-concussion evaluation and management techniques available to clinicians with minimal resources.
• Reduce concussion risk by identifying biomechanical risk factors.
Kumiko Hashida, PhD, ATC
Dr. Kumiko Hashida is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the UGA Concussion Research Center in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Georgia in Athens Georgia. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Athletic Training from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2018. In 2020, Dr. Hashida earned her Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Dr. Hashida’s research aims to enhance concussion assessment and management in clinical settings. Her primary areas of focus include:
- Musculoskeletal injury risk following concussion
- Dual-task approaches in concussion assessment and management
- Driving after concussion
- Assessment and management of individuals with Persisting Symptom after Concussion