Howard Coker | October 29, 2026 | Car Accidents
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. Although it rarely causes death, it can produce profound neurological symptoms that affect an accident victim physically, mentally, and emotionally.
As a result, the victim may be unable to perform tasks they normally handle with ease. Some tasks might even pose a danger to the patient or others. Driving falls under both categories. It could become difficult and dangerous when the driver suffers from concussion symptoms. Keep reading from our expert car accident lawyers to learn more about how a concussion can impact driving.
The Role of Your Brain While Driving
Your brain primarily controls your entire body through three types of nerve signals: motor, sensory, and autonomic.
Motor signals go from your brain to your body to control voluntary movements. When you brake, your brain uses motor signals to control your leg muscles.
Sensory signals travel from your body to your brain, providing information about your environment. When you see the car in front of you stop suddenly, the visual information traveling from your eyes to your brain is a sensory signal.
Your brain controls your body without any conscious thought using autonomic signals. Your respiration rate, blood pressure, and body temperature are controlled through autonomic signals. The increase in your heart rate after you narrowly avoid a car accident results from an autonomic signal.
These signals work together with cognition to perform tasks. Cognition is the process of learning, processing, analyzing, and acting on the information your brain receives.
For example, your brain learns that the car ahead of you is stopping through visual signals. It processes that information and decides to brake to avoid a rear-end crash. Faced with this emergency, your brain triggers the fight-or-flight response to sharpen your reflexes and increase your heart rate. It quickly moves your foot to the brake pedal and applies pressure.
Concussion Symptoms That May Affect Driving in Florida
A concussion disrupts this finely-tuned process. A concussion can affect the brain’s cognition and control systems. As a result, a concussion diminishes your ability to perform many tasks, including driving.
Specifically, this form of brain trauma can produce the following symptoms that may impact your ability to drive:
- Confusion
- Amnesia
- Drowsiness and fatigue
- Loss of consciousness
- Nausea and dizziness
- Vomiting
- Clumsy and uncoordinated movements
- Head or neck pain
- Slurred speech
- Ringing in the ears
- Blurry vision or “seeing stars”
These symptoms can affect a driver’s abilities. Diminished cognition can affect the person’s perceptions and decision-making. Physical symptoms can slow a person’s reflexes or diminish coordination in their movements. Sensory symptoms might reduce the person’s ability to see or hear road hazards.
As a result, the risk of hitting other vehicles, pedestrians, or bicycles might increase. Similarly, a driver suffering from concussion symptoms may also be more likely to run off the road or hit fixed objects, like bridge supports or guardrails.
Managing Risks and Finding Alternatives to Driving with a Concussion
To manage the risks of driving with a concussion, you should visit a doctor after an accident to diagnose any brain injuries and wait to drive until you receive medical clearance. You should also drive during daylight, on familiar roads, and in good weather until you know how your concussion has affected you.
Additionally, consider driving with a passenger who can spot issues with your abilities and take over if you cannot drive safely.
Alternatively, you can ride with someone else until you recover from your concussion symptoms. Friends or relatives can give you rides, or you can use ridesharing services in the days or weeks after a concussion.
Contact the Jacksonville Car Accident Lawyers at Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If someone else’s negligence caused the brain injury that prevents you from driving, you can usually include your out-of-pocket costs for transportation in your injury claim. Consulting with a lawyer is the best way to understand your right to compensation and your legal options for pursuing it.
For more information, please contact the Jacksonville personal injury law firm of Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers and schedule a free consultation today.
We serve Duval County and its surrounding areas.
Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers
136 E Bay St #5438
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 356-6071
Find us with our Geo Coordinates: 30.32569719086265, -81.65515220132858
_________________________________________________________________________________________
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Attorney Howard Coker is the founder of Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers. A graduate of the University of Florida College of Law, he has dedicated his career to representing individuals in serious personal injury cases. With more than four decades of courtroom experience and over 350 jury trials, Howard is recognized as one of Florida’s top trial attorneys. His commitment to justice ensures every client receives the strong, personalized representation they deserve. Check our recent case results.
Location: Jacksonville, FL