An Integrative Review of Return to Driving After Concussion in Adolescents.

Only six studies were included, and many came from single-center specialty clinics, so the findings may not apply to adolescents seen in emergency departments, urgent care, primary care, or athletic training settings. All included studies were Level III or Level V evidence, so they cannot establish safe return-to-driving criteria. Only two studies examined adolescent driving behavior or performance directly, and one of those was a single case report. Some studies did not include adolescents without symptoms, even though cognitive deficits can persist after symptoms resolve. No study linked driving performance to the factors clinicians use to decide readiness, such as vestibular dysfunction or neurocognitive testing. The review mostly described clinician recommendations rather than patient outcomes such as crashes or safe driving.

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of this article.

Do not read this review as evidence that clinicians can safely clear adolescents to drive after concussion. It found no standardized test, time frame, or guideline, and most included studies described clinician recommendations rather than adolescent driving outcomes.