How is the average audiometry score calculated?

The average audiometry score is calculated by taking the scores from specific frequency thresholds that are critical for assessing hearing ability, which include 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, and 2000 Hz. By adding these three scores together and dividing by three, one obtains a comprehensive average that reflects the person's auditory sensitivity at these vital frequencies. This method is standardized because these frequencies are particularly relevant for speech recognition and understanding, making it important for evaluating a candidate's fitness for driving and ensuring safety on the road.

The other methods presented do not accurately reflect the essential components of hearing assessment. Summing all scores together, for instance, could skew the results by including frequencies that may not be as crucial for daily communication needs, while only counting the highest score ignores the overall hearing capability. Using the two lowest scores would also not yield an accurate representation of a person's hearing ability, as it does not consider the middle range which is more indicative of their auditory function.