The speed at which you can drive after surgery varies from person to person. However, some studies have highlighted the injuries that require the most attention when deciding if you`re ready to drive again. Latz D, Schiffner E, Schneppendahl J, et al. Doctor, when can I go? — range of functional movement of the ankle while driving. Foot and ankle surgery. 2020;26(8):924-929. 10.1016/j.fas.2019.12.006 “Drivers who wear arm slings should not drive” found more collisions between drivers with slings. If you resume driving after an injury or surgery, you may need to check with your insurance company to make sure they are sure you can drive safely. While many insurance companies may not cover you if you have an accident while wearing a cast or orthosis, if you are taking painkillers, if you have an unhealed fracture, or if you have had “recent” surgery (they need to define for you what they consider “recent”), some will. From page 109 of the same document:…”Conduct after surgery: assessment of the likely effects of postoperative recoveryDecision of the limitations or requirements described in other chapters of this document, drivers are not required to inform the DVLA of the surgical recovery, unless it is likely to interfere with driving and last more than 3 months. Driver`s licence holders who want to drive after surgery should check with their own doctor when it would be safe to do so. Any decision to resume driving must take into account several aspects, including: The general consensus is that it is dangerous to drive while wearing a cast or splint for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.
A gray area mentioned by some articles is the question of driving an automatic transmission with the leg unused in a plaster. Some documents indicate that a physician has no training in assessing safe driving. With a few exceptions, you can`t roll if you have a body joint that`s in a hard orthosis or cast. As a result, the joint is immobilized or can no longer bend at all. Even a joint partially constrained by an orthosis or soft bandage can limit your range of motion too much to roll safely, as studied in one study. It`s hard to find anything definitive about insurance companies and driving in a casting. This presentation is old, but the information is still there; while the aforementioned “Who Should Answer the Question “Can I Drive with This Cast?” is new, claiming that all insurance companies contacted have given verbal assurances that as long as the doctor gives permission, they would allow plaster patients to drive. This attitude seems to contradict the general consensus on security (see above). In the event of an accident, a cast (or even a bandage) on a limb could perhaps be considered an inhibition of the total control of the vehicle and therefore considered a contributing factor. The situation of the law and the insurance status are not clear – probably because there has been no legal test case.
Disilvestro KJ, Santoro AJ, Tjoumakaris FP, Levicoff EA, Freedman KB. When can I drive after orthopedic surgery? A systematic review. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2016;474(12):2557-2570. doi:10.1007/s11999-016-5007-9 “Ability to drive in a bandage below the knee?” is considered to be significantly impaired and dangerous to drive. This article discusses the factors that affect when you can resume driving after certain types of orthopedic surgeries and recovery steps. It also discusses the role your doctor plays in helping you determine when you`re ready to get behind the wheel. “Driving with an arm immobilized in a rail” resulted in a significant deterioration in mileage. Congratulations to everyone, I just called the insurance company and the guy there told me that if I personally feel safe, then it`s okay, so I`ll send it in writing and if I got sick, start driving again.
Driving restrictions may also be required when taking prescription opioids after surgery. In some cases, you could be charged with “driving under the influence of drugs” (DUID) if you are stopped by police and have used opioids. Ask your doctor if you`re not sure how long you won`t be able to drive. This effectively transfers the responsibility to the doctor for giving medical advice and to the driver/patient to ensure that they are able to take full control of the vehicle. It is also up to the driver/patient to inquire with his insurance company. Some studies have looked at the degree of impairment that a cast exerts on a driver. Some studies have used healthy subjects and driving simulators; Most studies recognize that driving with a cast or rail is dangerous. “Is driving safe with upper limb casts?” clearly answers NO (in the Journal of Academic Emergency Medicine). The only way to legally confirm that you are fit to drive is to take an exam with a properly trained licensing authority. This is usually organized by your local Ministry of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or the Ministry of Transportation (DOT). and… » Fractures – A driver does not need to inform the DVLA of a fracture, but if recovery is prolonged for more than 3 months after the fracture, the attending physician should give advice at a safe time to resume driving. “There are no established rules on when you can resume driving after surgery or injury.
Your doctor can give you advice on when you can be cured and no longer be affected by the medications, but if you need official permission to drive, you may need to start an assessment of your driving skills by your local DMV or DOT. You may also need to check with your insurance company for special driving restrictions after surgery or injury. An assessment of DMV or DOT may be necessary if you have undergone long-term recovery. If you`re driving for a living, you may need to take this step to prove that you`re capable of returning to work. It may also be necessary if you are permanently impaired and need to confirm that this injury does not affect your ability to drive. Most of the above articles (and others) highlight the lack of clear guidance from regulators. Some of them are asking for more research to better enable the development of an evidence-based answer to the question. “Plastered driving: is it safe, is it legal? A patient advice survey” identifies the confusion about responsibility that is reflected in “Who should answer the question `Can I drive with this cast?` The following two articles alone could enable medical staff to develop an evidence-based approach to answering the question of when a patient is allowed to return to driving. “Driving after Orthopaedic Surgery” (by Healio.com) provides an excellent overview of the topic and also contains some guidelines that doctors can refer to – when patients can safely drive after surgery.
This article: “Resumption of driving after orthopedic surgery or trauma to a limb” from Swiss Medical Weekly (blog.smw.ch/) is a perfect complement to Healio`s article. It shows a practical reference table with clear minimum recommendations for doctors reproduced here: anesthesia or other sedatives can interfere with driving for at least 24 hours. If you`re taking opioid painkillers, you may not be able to drive until you stop using them. If a joint has been placed in a cast or orthosis, you should avoid driving, even if it is a soft orthosis or bandage, as your range of motion is still limited. Do not drive if you are in pain, as this may suddenly distract you or prevent you from moving freely. Gandhi MJ, Freitas D, Lewis M, et al. Who should answer the question, “Can I drive with this cast?” The surgeon. 2014;12(1):26-31. doi:10.1016/j.surge.2013.05.006 Your doctor can tell you when driving might be safe, but you should also consider your insurance company`s policies. If you need to legally prove that you are fit to drive, you must have an assessment carried out via your DMV or DOT.
Talk to your doctor to find out if you seem ready to start driving after surgery. If you have received anesthesia, there should be specific restrictions on the type of medication you have received. Your doctor should also tell you if driving while taking prescription medications is safe.