The medical-psychological assessment procedures for drivers with alcohol offences and drivers with a high penalty-point status : empirical results concerning their effectiveness and diagnostic reliability.

According to Verbandes der Technischen Überwachungs-Vereine statistics, in 1995 more than 150,000 medical-psychological assessments were conducted in the Federal Republic of Germany, most at the behest of the licensing authorities. Most of the data used in this book relate to the year 1989, thus reflecting the situation immediately before re-unification, but even at that time over 110,000 assessments took place. These figures alone are enough to justify public interest in the results, despite the fact that emotions often run high concerning the usefulness of such assessments. The present work is an empirical study that attempts to explain and evaluate the role of the medical-psychological assessment (MPA) within the German system of issuing driving licenses. (Author/Publisher)