Drunk driving can have serious consequences.
Especially if an MPU is required for the return of the driver's license.
Losing a driver's license is a major turning point for quite a few drivers.
At work and in everyday life, the associated mobility restrictions can cause major problems and even lead to job loss.
Regaining a driver's license can be particularly difficult if the person concerned has to go through an MPU (medical and psychological examination).
The failure rate is considered to be comparatively high - as was the case last time with the "normal" driver's license test.
In recent years, around a third of the MPU examinees have been classified as "unsuitable".
For those who fail, regaining a driver's license is a long way off.
Those affected should therefore leave nothing to chance in advance and prepare well and promptly for an MPU.
Why might an MPU be required?
A medical-psychological examination becomes relevant for people whose driving license was revoked due to traffic offences.
While a driving ban, for example because of a red light offence, only gives you a driving license temporarily, driving a car is generally revoked if you lose your driving licence.
While you automatically get your driver's license back if you are banned from driving, you have to re-issue your license if you have your license revoked.
As a rule, the person concerned is given a blocking period.
Six months before this period expires, you can apply for a new license to be issued at the driver's license office.
This is often linked to the condition of carrying out an MPU, also popularly known as an idiot test.
Reasons for the withdrawal of a driver's license with an MPU condition are above all alcohol offences, such as driving a vehicle with more than 1.6 per mil - but drivers also face problems with significantly less per mil.
Drug addiction, committing crimes related to road traffic or significant or repeated traffic violations, as well as reaching or exceeding 8 points in Flensburg are also common reasons.
If an MPU is required, the person concerned must apply to an assessment center for the examination to be carried out.
What is a medical-psychological examination for?
The MPU has existed in Germany since 1954.
The applicant's fitness to drive is assessed.
On the basis of the report, the driving license authorities decide whether a driving license will continue to be withdrawn or whether it can be reissued.
In an MPU, it should be assessed how high the risk is that the person concerned will become conspicuous again.
The chances of a new permit are good if the traffic medical and psychological findings allow the driving license authority to assume that the person concerned has changed his behavior and attitudes.
If a correspondingly positive prognosis was made in an expert opinion, the competent authority can still reject it in case of doubt.
However, this is very rarely the case.
Who carries out a medical-psychological examination?
There are officially recognized “assessment centers for fitness to drive”, also known as BfF for short.
Approval for the BfF is normally granted by the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt).
Those affected can choose the assessment center freely, the driver's license office only names nearby MPU offices.
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Drunk driving may result in an MPU.
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© YAY Images/Imago
Should you prepare for an MPU?
The key to success is timely and intensive preparation for the MPU.
In order to pass the exam, those affected should therefore invest some time and money in courses.
According to figures from the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt), four out of five test subjects should pass the MPU right away.
In order to find out about the procedure and content as well as the possibilities of serious preparation, we recommend attending free information evenings offered by various organizations.
This preparation is all about rethinking your own attitude.
Professional support may be necessary for this, but it costs money: With individual coaching, it can easily cost four figures, because it has to be 10 one-hour consultations for around 100 to 150 euros each.
Alternatively, there are group counseling courses that cost around 600 euros.
Together with the advisor, the person concerned draws up a roadmap on how to master the way back to the driver's license.
How do you recognize a reputable MPU coach?
In principle, anyone can hold MPU preparatory courses, because unlike the counseling centers, these do not have to be officially recognised.
As a qualification, TÜV Süd names a diploma or a master's degree in psychology as well as training in traffic psychology as an example.
In addition, the advisor should be familiar with diagnosing alcohol and drug consumption as well as road traffic law.
You can also recognize a reputable consultant by the fact that he requests documents such as previous reports or correspondence with the driving license office, makes notes during the consultation and at the end issues a consultation result or a certificate of attendance.
Providers who promise to train "the right answers" to the "questions in the MPU", offer acting lessons or lure with "success or money-back guarantee", on the other hand, are considered dubious, warns TÜV Süd.
A good counselor should also not force the sufferer to memorize made-up stories.
What happens with an MPU, what does it cost?
Anyone who has lost their driver's license due to the consumption of alcohol and drugs will usually have to present appropriate proof of abstinence to the MPU.
A few hundred euros may be due for appropriate urine tests or hair analyses.
There are also fees for the MPU itself. The assessment center sets the prices itself.
Examinees can therefore also make price comparisons.
You should definitely reckon with around 500 euros.
With coaching, proof of abstinence and MPU test, total costs of 1,500 to over 2,000 euros can arise.
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The “idiot test”, which lasts between two and three hours, is divided into a medical examination, during which blood can be taken, for example, a reaction test and a psychological interview.
The MPU expert examines whether the person concerned has learned from his mistakes and changed his erroneous behavior.
Here you should be able to explain, among other things, what you did wrong and why you did it this way and not differently.
The expert also wants to clarify how a change in behavior came about and how the person concerned wants to ensure that earlier mistakes do not occur again.
You should be open and honest in the conversation, after all the experts are very experienced and will notice when someone is trying to pretend something.
At the end of the examination, the assessors can already indicate whether you have passed.
It takes a few days for the MPU result to be sent to the examinee.
In the case of a positive prognosis, this is handed over to the driving license office.
Medical-Psychological Examination: Failed.
So what?
If you fail the MPU, you can repeat the examination.
There is no blocking period for this.
However, you should take the time to work on the reasons for the rejection before the second attempt.
The report shows what was decisive for the negative assessment.
(Mario Hommen/SP-X)
List of rubrics: © YAY Images/Imago
