Motorsport Australia has welcomed the release of new Sport Related Concussion guidelines that can now be used at all levels of motorsport.

The new consensus guidelines, that include CRT6 (Concussion Recognition Tool) and SCAT6 (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool), will provide health care professionals at motorsport events with easy to use and the most up-to-date guidelines to assess if a person has been concussed, along with outlining the appropriate next steps.

SCAT6 is designed to be used by health care professionals on people aged 13 and above and has been developed by The Concussion in Sport Group (CISG), supported by the FIA and the International Olympic Committee, as well as other major international sporting bodies.

Health care professionals are encouraged to download and bookmark SCAT6 which can be found here.

The document notes some key points around the treatment of any concussion, including that any person with suspected concussion should be immediately removed from competition, assessed and monitored for injury-related signs and symptoms.

The guidelines also include the Concussion Recognition Tool 6 for use by non-healthcare personnel.

Motorsport Australia Director of Motorsport & Commercial Operations Michael Smith welcomed the release of the new tool.

“Our medical teams are some of the best in the world and play a key role in keeping our sport safe,” Smith said.

“These new concussion guidelines and the SCAT6 tool are an important tool for our healthcare professionals across all disciplines and levels of the sport.

“While motorsport is not a contact sport in the traditional sense like football or rugby, concussion can certainly still occur and it’s important that our medical teams are aware of the risk of concussion. While some competitors may think that wearing helmets and frontal head restraints keep them well protected, concussions are still a risk factor in any incident.

“Motorsport Australia encourages all our medical crews to utilise this new tool and be aware of the risks of concussions at our events, no matter the discipline or event.”

The SCAT6 for adults aged 13 and above can be found here.

CRT6 can be found here.