Services
Insurance
Repairs
Advice
About

When can you start driving after back surgery?

I recently had a lumbar surgery procedure that has left me unable to drive for several weeks. I live alone, and while my family has been great about helping me get what I need while recovering, I’m ready to get back behind the wheel and get out of the house—how long do I have to wait after my surgery before I can start driving again?

avatar
Ethan Daniel Moser · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Oh no! We hope you’re healing up as quickly as possible and that the surgery was a success. You should definitely defer to the advice of your physician when determining when it’s safe for you to take to the streets again after surgery; however, patients often have to wait for two to six weeks to start driving after back surgery.
Your doctor will likely want to wait until you are feeling up to the task physically, are no longer taking narcotic pain medication, and are able to react quickly on the road.
Just like having reliable
health insurance
is going to help you pay for your back surgery, having reliable
car insurance
is necessary to protect yourself and your vehicle against unexpected costs should you find yourself in an accident.
Thankfully, it’s easier than ever to find the best deals on car insurance when you shop with
Jerry
. A car insurance comparison shopping super app, Jerry matches users with competitive quotes from 50+ of the top car insurance providers nationwide in less than 45 seconds—all while saving you an average of $887 a year on car insurance alone!
Please be advised that this column is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute official medical advice. Talk to your doctor about your specific situation.
View full answer 
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings