Concussion Raises Risk of Future Car Crash

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Health & Fitness, Alternative Health

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 11 December 2025

⏱️ 8 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Having even one concussion raises your long-term crash risk by 49%, which means you would be wise to give yourself more recovery time before driving to protect both your safety and your independence
The first month after a concussion is the most dangerous, with risk jumping more than sixfold, so adjusting your driving habits during this period helps lower your chance of a serious accident
Each additional concussion sharply increases your risk, with two concussions more than doubling it and three or more causing a 124% increase, making symptom monitoring and long-term brain care important for anyone with repeated injuries
Younger age, late-night driving, poor weather, rural roads, alcohol misuse, and lower income all magnify post-concussion crash risk. Being mindful of these factors can help you stay safer on the road
Concussion-related crashes have led to tens of thousands of extra hospital days and more than $800 million in medical and societal costs, showing why protecting your brain health now helps safeguard your future well-being, finances, and mobility

Transcript

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0:00.0	Are you underestimating how one concussion today could shape your driving safety for years to come?
0:05.0	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go. No reading required.
0:15.0	Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights.
0:19.0	Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's Cellular Wisdom.
0:21.6	I'm Ethan Foster, and we're examining new research showing how even a single concussion
0:27.6	changes your risk behind the wheel and what you can do to protect your independence.
0:31.6	I'm Alara Sky.
0:33.6	Today you'll hear the key findings from a large Ontario analysis following more than
0:37.6	3 million adults over two decades, what the first month after injury really looks like
0:42.3	for you on the road, and the concrete steps the researchers recommend to lower your crash risk.
0:48.3	I'm Ethan Foster, and here's the headline number you need to know.
0:52.3	Having one diagnosed concussion raises your long-term risk of a serious motor vehicle crash
0:57.5	by about 49% compared with a control group who had ankle sprains.
1:02.6	That elevated risk persists even after adjusting for age, health conditions, income, and
1:08.6	prior health care use.
1:10.5	This risk spikes most sharply in the first month.
1:14.0	If you drive during that initial window, your chance of a serious crash rises more than sixfold.
1:19.8	Symptoms may feel subtle, fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, slower thinking. But your reaction time,
1:30.3	concentration, and judgment are still recovering, and that shows up in crash statistics.
1:33.3	The research also mapped out who faces added danger after a concussion.
1:37.3	Younger drivers, men, and those living in rural areas saw higher risk,
1:42.3	as did people with lower income, those who drive late at night,
	...

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