Medical condition and fitness to drive: prospective analysis of the medical-psychological assessment of fitness to drive and accident risk

This study investigates the fitness to drive among Spanish drivers. Spanish regulations following EU rules (CD 91/439/CEE) establish that all drivers wishing to obtain or renew their driving licence must undergo a medical examination of their fitness to drive. The renewal of a driving licence is mandatory every ten years up to 45, every 5 years between 46 and 70, and every two years from 70 onwards for non-professional drivers; professional drivers renew every five years up to 45, every three years between 46 and 60 and every two years from 60 onwards). Following the medical examination (carried out by a team of a general practitioner, an ophthalmologist and a psychologist) drivers are considered fit, fit with restrictions (allowed to drive but with some sort of restriction) or unfit (not allowed to drive). The study includes 5234 drivers who attended two Medical Driver Test Centres in Spain. These data show that a relevant part of the driver population have some restriction in their driving licence, and not only those who are elderly. It thus seems appropriate to evaluate the fitness to drive of the population.