Understanding how mild brain injuries affect teen driving

Longitudinal Assessment of Driving After Mild TBI in Teens

NIH-funded research Research Inst Nationwide Children's Hosp · NIH-10909235

This study is looking at how mild brain injuries affect teen drivers to help figure out when it's safe for them to get back on the road, and it involves comparing their driving skills with those of healthy teens.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionResearch Inst Nationwide Children's Hosp NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Columbus, United States)
Project IDNIH-10909235 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates the impact of mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) on the driving abilities of teenagers. It aims to identify when it is safe for teens to return to driving after an mTBI by comparing their driving performance to healthy peers. The study will assess how cognitive load influences driving performance and track changes from the time of injury until symptoms resolve. By enrolling a diverse group of 200 teen drivers, the research seeks to provide evidence-based guidelines for healthcare providers.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are teenagers aged 16-19 who have experienced a mild traumatic brain injury.

Not a fit: Patients who are not teenagers or who have not suffered a mild traumatic brain injury may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved safety guidelines for teens recovering from mild brain injuries, helping them return to driving safely.

How similar studies have performed: While research on mTBI is ongoing, this specific focus on teen driving performance post-injury is relatively novel and has not been extensively studied.

Where this research is happening

Columbus, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.