Counseling in the Probationary Period
(§2 Abs. 2 StVG)
Initial Situation
Although many young drivers who have just acquired their driver's license drive reasonably and do not negatively stand out in road traffic, statistics imply a drastically heightened risk of an accident in the first years. The young person undoubtedly has an excellent reaction, but driving is a delicate matter. In addition to the physical fitness, the experience, the intuition and also the personality are pivotal in traffic safety. To account for the heightened accident risk, i.e. to spare the young driver and other participants in the traffic a rude awakening in the hospital, the legislator has early on introduced the probationary driver's license.
As you of course already know, we are dealing with the annoying time period which you have to get over to be finally accepted as a "fully adequate" driver. Don't fret about it. These are the rules. And if I have successfully survived such a probationary period, why should not you do the same?
Before I introduce to you the three-step-model of the probationary period, I would like to give you some information. Should you already know all about it, simply jump to the next point. The probationary period lasts for two years and begins when you first get your driver's license. It remains unchanged, if the driver's license is confiscated or taken away. If you totally lose the driver's license, a new probationary period begins exactly when you receive your new driver's license. In this case, the already "served" old probationary period will be taken into account. The probationary period will however be extended by two years, if you have had to participate in an "Aufbauseminar" (cf. below) respectively if you have lost your driver's license.
You can clearly see that you have to be careful at the onset and that the legislator is not joking, if you collect early points. We will now find out what this exactly means.
Three-Step-Model of the Probationary Period
The administration makes a distinction between minor ("less serious") and major ("serious") offences. Minor offices are for example obstruction of pedestrians or cyclists when turning (right), worn tires or missing the safety inspection (TÜV) for more than acht months. Among the serious offences rank of course all criminal offences like driving under the influence of alcohol, a hit-and-run offence, a coercion or driving without license, but also infractions like driving too fast, passing a red light, overtaking without permission, violations of right of way or too small safe distance. What happens now, if a learner driver in the probationary period breaks the traffic rules once or more often? Alike the later point regulation in the traffic aptitude assessment system ("Fahreignungs-Bewertungssystem") a three step model is in effect which you should know.
Step 1: Development Seminar ("Aufbauseminar")
If in the probationary period the learner driver commits one serious or two less serious traffic violations, the driver's license office orders the participation in a development seminar ("Aufbauseminar") which is being offered by driving schools. The person in question has to visit the seminar and will be given a deadline The driver's license will not instantly be withdrawn, but the probationary period will extend by further two to totally four years. If no further traffic offences happen in the probationary period, the learner driver is out of the woods. If he breaks the rules another time, it will be close because he enters step 2.
Step 2: Warning and Possibility of a Traffic Psychological Counseling
If a learning driver being in step 1 again does not succeed to prevent points, i.e. if he commits again one serious or two less serious violations, the driver's license office will warn him and urge him to participate in a traffic psychological counseling within two months.
You probably have received such a letter and would like to inform yourself how your case will proceed. I will be honest and give you information that you do not receive everywhere. First of all, you should know that the traffic psychological counseling is voluntary. You can but you do not have to participate in it. If you do without it, the driver's license office cannot take your license. You also do not have to expect any administrative disadvantage. Admittedly you miss the chance to talk with a qualified traffic psychologist about your driving and to learn what to change not to further break the rules in the prolonged probationary period. So you alone decide if you want to invest the money for such counseling. As you will see right away, you may however not allow yourself another comparable offence from now on till the end of the probationary period.
Step 3: Withdrawal of Driver's License
A learning driver who has received the letters of step 1 and step 2 and who then again commits one serious or two less serious offences, will have his driver's license withdrawn by the driver's license office.
This means that the driver's license is "gone" and the dire consequences will be alike the ones of the traffic aptitude assessment system. Not before a period of three months after the "legal effectiveness" of the withdrawal can you receive a new driver's license. And the damage will not stop there. The driver's license institute will claim that you are an irresponsible driver and will order a MPU. This you will not be able to driver before three months, an application to obtain a new license and a positive MPU. My page about the MPU Counseling Points will tell you what this would mean to you.
Do not let things go so far. React in time. Use the traffic psychological counseling to understand why you repeatedly have been conspicuous. Together, we can find out what you can do to permanently keep your driver's license.
The Traffic Psychological Counseling in the Probationary Period
(§2 Abs. 2 StVG)
The Traffic Psychological Counseling in the Probationary Period
(§2 Abs. 2 StVG)
Prerequisites
A traffic psychological counseling in the probationary period is possible, if the following prerequisites are met:
- 1. You are in step 2 of the three-step-model, i.e. you have committed twice a serious or two less serious violations in the probationary period.
- 2. You have completed the Development Seminar ("Aufbauseminar") ordered by the driver's license office in step 1.
- 3. The driver's license office has delivered the second letter and in this letter you have been told the possibility of participating in a traffic psychological counseling.
To you it is in this context also interesting that you first have to have completed the Development Seminar in the driving school and then have to have received another letter by the driver's license office. Then you can book such counseling with me.
Time Frame and Scope of the Counseling
The traffic psychological counseling in the probationary period contains three session 60 minutes each. The counseling has a minimum time frame of two weeks and a maximum time frame of four weeks. These key features are unfortunately binding and cannot be disregarded even in an exceptional case.
Consultancy Contract
As you know, lots of things in our country are legally regulated. This is true as well for our traffic psychological counseling. Before we begin to work, we have to sign a counseling contract in the first session. I you want to know what is in it, you can download an example from my website. The contract gives you and me certainty. It binds me to respect your confidentiality. You promise to appear punctually and sober.
Content of the Traffic Psychological Counseling
Fortunately it is up to us to decide what we want to talk about. It may be that you discuss your going out or drinking on the weekend, or even your drug experience. Maybe you want to talk about your education or your professional future. And of course, we can find out what driving means to you, where you believe to be a good driver and where you have discovered to risk points.
To me it is important that you don't feel bored, but that we understand how you drive and that we can try to find out how you can improve. Of course, this means that we want to see to it that you will further enjoy driving, but in a way that no one is put at risk and that you can keep your driver's license.
Certificate or Participation
The main aim of the counseling consists in working together to "survive" the probationary period without losing the driver's license, yes: to become a good driver who will not have points later on. Before May 1st, 2014, the counseling could provide you with a reduction of 2 points. Since then, this is unfortunately no longer possible. In the third session, you will receive a certificate of participation which you can instantly submit to the driver's license office. To gain time, we can instantly fax the certificate to the administration, but you have to further hand in the original later. The certificate contains my name and seal and counts as an official document. The driver's license office will notify the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt in Flensburg of your successful participation.
I have promised you to be honest and give you information that you do not find on every website. This includes the fact that you do not absolutely need the traffic psychological counseling. For, if you pass the probationary period without further problems, you point account will be reduced one year later to 0 points. My counseling intends to get you there, i.e. to provide you with enough tips that you do not break the rules in the probationary period any more.
Costs of the Counseling
The traffic psychological counseling (§2 Abs. 2 StVG) containing 3 sessions lasting 60 minutes each will cost you 400 Euros including the certificate of participation. You will certainly believe me that I prefer helping people to following outstanding bills. Therefore I ask you to bring with you the fee in the first session.
How can I enroll and how does everything proceed?
If you are interested in the traffic psychological counseling, everything is simple. You call me, and have your passport or Identity Card ready. I will write down your personal information and will send you the counseling material. On the phone we can fix three sessions lasting an hour each for you to know when you will receive the Certificate of Participation. In urgent cases, we can also book a quick first session. I will then have the contract and counseling documents ready for you.
Don't hesitate! Call me and book the traffic psychological counseling. Find out what has not optimally worked out in the probationary period. Work together with me to keep you driver's license till the end of the probationary period and later on. I am on your side! I will have time for you!