Evaluation of DriveCap, a new tool for assessment of medical fitness to drive

Important results from the project

DriveCap has been evaluated for validity and reliability following ethical approval. Validity is supported by strong correlations between DriveCap results and outcomes from well-established cognitive tests used in the assessment of driving ability. Reliability is confirmed by consistent results across repeated tests for individuals, this applies to all subtests. Reference values for expected outcomes across age groups have also been established.

Expected long term effects

Expected outcomes include increased credibility and improved decision-making in assessments of continued fitness to hold a driver’s license. Thanks to the project’s positive results, DriveCap is anticipated to be adopted by additional traffic medicine units, potentially fostering greater collaboration. In the long term, the hope is to achieve a clearer national consensus on how assessments of fitness to drive should be conducted in Sweden.

Approach and implementation

The project proceeded as planned, starting with an ethics application. Delays in the review process extended the timeline. Data collection then proceeded continuously through the regular assessments at Mobilitetscenter. Previously tested methods for recruiting participants to establish normative values did not yield expected response. New outreach strategies had to be developed, which eventually proved successful. Collaboration between project partners worked as intended.