Can You Drive After Surgery? What Determines When It’s Safe

After surgery, getting back behind the wheel can feel like a big milestone. But driving after surgery isn’t only about pain: it’s also about reaction time, alertness, vision, and whether medications could impair you.

Because every procedure and recovery is different, the safest answer is: it depends. Understanding the factors that affect driving can help you avoid preventable accidents and protect your recovery.

Many people assume that once pain improves, driving is automatically safe. In reality, research shows that driving ability can remain impaired even when discomfort feels manageable. Factors like delayed reaction time, reduced range of motion, and lingering medication effects are not always obvious—but they can significantly increase accident risk.

Factors That Affect Driving After Surgery

Type of Surgery

The type and location of surgery can change how soon you can safely drive.

Orthopedic surgeries (like knee, hip, shoulder, or ankle procedures) often affect:

• Your ability to brake hard

• Your ability to move your foot quickly

• Your ability to turn the wheel without pain or weakness

Studies on right total knee replacement show that brake response and confidence may not return to baseline until around 6 weeks, which is why many clinicians recommend waiting longer after right-leg surgery.

Abdominal surgeries (including laparoscopy) can affect driving because:

• Seat belts press on the abdomen

• Twisting to check mirrors can strain healing tissue

• Sudden braking can cause pain that delays your reaction

A scoping review found that recommendations for driving after abdominal surgery vary widely (from 1 to 10 weeks), with shorter times more common after laparoscopic procedures.

Eye surgeries can affect driving due to blurry vision, light sensitivity, depth perception changes, and restrictions on activities during early healing. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) advises people to ask their ophthalmologist when it is safe to drive after cataract surgery and emphasizes that you must meet your state’s vision standards.

Anesthesia and Medication Effects

Even if your incision is healing well, anesthesia and medications can impair driving.

After anesthesia or procedural sedation, many people are told not to drive for at least a day, and to have a responsible adult take them home. The American Society of Anesthesiologists explains that you won’t be able to drive right after anesthesia and should arrange help at home in the early recovery period.

The American College of Surgeons notes that anesthesia and pain medications may affect thinking and memory for 2 to 3 days in some people, and advises not driving for at least two days after surgery in their general recovery guidance.

Pain medicines are a major driving risk. Opioids, sleep aids, muscle relaxants, and some anti-nausea medications can cause drowsiness, slowed reaction time, and poor coordination. The FDA warns that some medicines can affect driving for hours and sometimes into the next day.

Driving while impaired by prescription drugs is also a public safety issue. NHTSA explains that you can’t drive safely if you’re impaired by opioids or any potentially impairing drug, whether prescribed or over-the-counter.

Physical Limitations

Safe driving requires more than sitting comfortably in a car. You need to be able to:

• Turn your head and torso to check mirrors and blind spots

• Grip and turn the wheel quickly

• Move your right foot from gas to brake fast

• Brake hard without hesitation

• React immediately if something unexpected happens

After orthopedic surgery, even small limitations can matter. Research on driving after right knee replacement has found braking measures may take weeks to return toward baseline.

If your surgery was on your right leg (knee, ankle, foot), this is especially important because the right foot is typically used to brake. If your surgery was on your left leg, automatic transmission drivers may regain braking ability sooner, but pain, weakness, and medication effects can still make driving unsafe.

Guidelines for Returning to Driving

There is no single “universal” timeline, but there are common patterns clinicians use when giving guidance.

Typical recovery timelines

These are general ranges, not promises. Your surgeon’s instructions should come first.

• After anesthesia/sedation: Many people are told no driving for at least 24 hours, and some guidance emphasizes longer caution depending on how you feel and what medications you take.

• After right total knee replacement: Evidence suggests a minimum of about 6 weeks may be needed to return to preoperative braking measures and confidence.

• After abdominal surgery: Recommendations vary, with shorter timelines after laparoscopy and longer after open procedures; published reviews show wide ranges.

• After cataract surgery: The AAO recommends asking your ophthalmologist and ensuring you meet vision standards before driving.

Signs you may be ready to drive

You may be closer to safe driving when all of the following are true:

• You are not taking opioids or other sedating medications that affect alertness, coordination, or vision.

• You can sit comfortably with your seatbelt fastened without severe pain.

• You can turn your body and head to check blind spots without guarding or dizziness.

• You can brake firmly and quickly without pain slowing your response (especially after right leg surgery).

• You feel mentally clear—no “fog,” delayed thinking, or memory issues. The ACS notes anesthesia and pain medicine can affect thinking for days in some people.

When to get clearance from your doctor

You should ask for medical clearance before driving if:

• Your surgery involved the right leg or a joint that impacts braking

• You’re still using opioids, sedatives, or muscle relaxants

• You’ve had vision changes (especially after eye surgery)

• You had complications, dizziness, fainting, or confusion

• You have a job that requires driving or operating machinery

A practical question to ask your clinician is:
“Do you consider me safe to drive, and are there any restrictions based on my surgery and medications?”

If you want help coordinating follow-up questions, getting paperwork, or understanding post-op instructions, you can connect with Aviator Health’s advocacy services.

Safety Precautions When Driving After Surgery

Even once you’re cleared, it’s smart to ease back into driving.

Avoid driving under medication

If a medication label says it may cause drowsiness or impaired coordination, take that warning seriously. The FDA explains that some medicines can impair driving for several hours and sometimes into the next day.

NHTSA also emphasizes that driving impaired by prescription drugs (including opioids) is dangerous and illegal in every state.

Practice with short trips

Start with:

• A short daytime drive

• Familiar roads

• Low traffic

• No passengers (if you get distracted easily)

If you notice pain that delays braking or turning, stop and reassess.

Have a backup plan

Keep your first few drives low-stakes, and plan for:

• Someone who can pick you up if you feel unwell

• A ride-share option

• A plan to avoid highways until you feel confident

Frequently Asked Questions

How soon can I drive after minor surgery?
It depends on anesthesia type and whether you’re taking sedating medications. Even after “minor” procedures, anesthesia and pain medicines may affect thinking and coordination, and professional guidance commonly advises avoiding driving immediately after anesthesia.

Does laparoscopy require longer recovery?
Often, laparoscopy has a shorter recovery than open surgery, but driving guidance still varies widely. A review found driving recommendations after abdominal surgery ranged from 1 to 10 weeks, with shorter times more common after laparoscopic procedures.

What legal liability exists if I drive too soon?
Laws vary by state, but driving while impaired by any substance—including prescription drugs—can be illegal and may increase the risk of serious harm. NHTSA states it is illegal everywhere in America to drive under the influence of opioids or any potentially impairing drug.
If you’re uncertain, it’s safer to wait and get medical clearance.

Takeaway

Driving after surgery is not just about comfort—it’s about safe braking, clear thinking, and unimpaired vision and coordination. Anesthesia and pain medications can affect alertness for longer than many people expect, and certain surgeries, especially those involving the right leg (orthopedic procedures) and eye surgeries, can significantly impact driving safety.

If you’re unsure, don’t guess. Ask your surgeon or anesthesiology team for clear guidance, and avoid driving until you are off sedating medications and can move without hesitation. When safety is the priority, waiting a little longer can protect your recovery—and everyone on the road.

Sources

American Academy of Ophthalmology. (n.d.). Safe exercise and driving after cataract surgery recovery. Retrieved from https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/safe-exercise-driving-cataract-surgery-recovery

American College of Surgeons. (n.d.). Recovering from surgery. Retrieved from https://www.facs.org/for-patients/recovering-from-surgery/

American Society of Anesthesiologists. (n.d.). Recovery after anesthesia. Made for This Moment. Retrieved from https://madeforthismoment.asahq.org/preparing-for-surgery/recovery/

Dalury, D. F., Tucker, K. K., Kelley, T. C., & Rashid, A. (2011). Brake response time after total knee arthroplasty: When is it safe for patients to drive? Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 469(3), 817–821. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-010-1599-6

Kirschbaum, S., Maier, G. S., Günther, K. P., & Zeifang, F. (2020). When can patients safely drive after total knee arthroplasty? A systematic review. The Journal of Arthroplasty, 35(12), 3617–3625. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32583024/

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (n.d.). Drug-impaired driving. Retrieved from https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (n.d.). Dangers of driving after taking prescription drugs or over-the-counter medicines. Retrieved from https://www.nhtsa.gov/drug-impaired-driving/dangers-driving-after-taking-prescription-drugs-or-over-counter-medicines

Obigbesan, A., Malhas, A., Smith, C., & Khan, S. A. (2022). Return to driving following abdominal surgery: A scoping review. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 104(10), 749–755. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36463949/

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2020, February 6). Some medicines and driving don’t mix. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/some-medicines-and-driving-dont-mix