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How to conduct a medical examination for category B in four steps? Driving school „Lauto” from Warsaw reveals what you should know before visiting a doctor

When Zbyszek signed up for a category B course at a driving school in Warsaw, he learned that he would first have to undergo a medical examination. If he passed it successfully, he would be able to obtain a PKK number, which is necessary to undergo driving training.

Before going to the doctor, he met with his good friend Sylwester, who had had a driving license for several years, to find out from him how to successfully pass the test. They arranged to meet at a bar in the center of Warsaw, where they discussed the subject over a beer.

— I wear glasses — said Zbyszek — that’s why I’m afraid I won’t pass this test… It’s true that I have a slight visual defect, but on the Internet they write that this may turn out to be „the nail in my coffin”…

– And rightly so – said Sylwester – I know a lot of guys who don’t have a driving license because of that… But don’t worry, if you buy me another beer, I’ll tell you what to do to avoid problems…

When the bartender brought two mugs of beer, Sylvester continued:

— The recipe for a successful visit is simple… I’ll give you a doctor’s chart with letters for an eye test. You’ll go to the visit without your glasses. You’ll tell the doctor that you see fine. And when the doctor tells you to read the letters from the chart, you’ll say them by heart, because you’ll have them carved into a metal plate beforehand… That way you’ll get a license for life!

How did Zbigniew’s medical examination proceed? More on that in a moment. First, let’s answer the four-step procedure for a category B examination…

Step one: preparing for a category B medical examination. A driving school from Warsaw explains what you should take with you to the doctor

What is worth knowing before taking the category B test ?

  • The purpose of this medical examination is to determine whether there are any health contraindications to driving motor vehicles.
  • Thanks to this test, we will obtain a Driver Candidate Profile (PKK) number, without which we will not be able to start the course at OSK and will not be able to take the exams at WORD.
  • This examination will be performed at any occupational medicine facility by a medical examiner who has the appropriate qualifications.
  • We shouldn’t have the slightest problem finding the right doctor, because the head of the driving training center will recommend a doctor with whom he has been working for years.
  • Although it is not required that we fast, it is worth making sure that we are well rested, sober, and relaxed.
  • It is important to inform your doctor about any medications you are taking that may affect the test results.
  • Take with you an identity document (ID card or passport), glasses or contact lenses (if you wear them), medical documentation (if you have chronic diseases), a hearing aid (if you have a hearing impairment), a diabetologist consultation card (if you have diabetes), a neurologist consultation card (in the case of epilepsy), a statement on the degree of disability (if applicable) and PLN 200, which you will pay to the doctor.

Step two: filling out a health declaration for a category B medical examination. A driving school from Warsaw explains what the form includes

What do they ask in the health declaration?

  • Past illnesses.
  • Medications taken.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Heart disease.
  • Chest pain, coronary artery disease.
  • Heart attack.
  • Diseases requiring heart surgery.
  • Irregular heartbeat.
  • Respiratory disorders.
  • Renal function disorders.
  • Diabetes.
  • Head and spine injuries.
  • Convulsions, epilepsy, fainting.
  • Stroke.
  • Nausea and dizziness.
  • Memory loss or difficulty concentrating.
  • Diseases of the neck, back or limbs.
  • Double vision, vision problems.
  • Daltonism.
  • Difficulty seeing at night.
  • Deafness.
  • Mental illness, depression.
  • Past surgeries and accidents.
  • Using a hearing aid.
  • Sleep disorders and sleep apnea.
  • Alcohol abuse or drug use.
  • How often do we drink alcohol?

Step three: the course of the medical examination for category B. A driving school from Warsaw explains what a visit to the doctor looks like

How does a category B medical examination proceed?

  • The doctor will examine our eyesight using tables with letters that we will read from a distance of 4 m (if we have a visual impairment, we will wear glasses or lenses).
  • Through simple tests, such as observing head movements or reactions to sounds, the doctor will assess our hearing and balance.
  • By measuring blood pressure, checking your pulse and assessing your breathing, the doctor will check your cardiovascular, nervous and respiratory systems.
  • By conducting an interview and assessing our behavior, the doctor will verify the symptoms of addiction.
  • Depending on the state of our health, the examination lasts from a few to several minutes.
  • If we experience disturbing symptoms, our doctor will order additional tests.
  • The following may be grounds for additional testing: heart problems, poor hearing or deafness, mental health conditions, or problems with the nervous system.
  • We will conduct additional tests with specialists, and with the results we will have to return to the medical examiner.

Step four: issuing a medical certificate for category B. The driving school from Warsaw suggests what you should know on this subject

How does a medical certificate be issued?

  • Immediately after completing the examination, the doctor will issue a certificate determining our ability to drive category B vehicles.
  • If the doctor determines that our health condition does not pose a threat to the safety of other road users, he or she will issue a positive decision that will open the door to the course and exam.
  • In this case, we may receive restriction codes such as: 01.01 (requirement to drive with glasses), 01.02 (possibility of driving with contact lenses), 02 (hearing aid requirement), 05.08 (driving only during the day), 78 (driving only with automatic transmission) or 61 (requirement of additional driving aids).
  • If the doctor determines that we do not meet the health requirements, he or she will issue us with a negative decision that will block us from obtaining a driving license until our health conditions improve.
  • If we do not agree with the decision of the medical examiner, we can appeal to the provincial occupational medicine centre, which will re-assess our health condition.

Summary: How to conduct a medical examination for category B in four steps? A driving school from Warsaw explains how Zbyszek’s story unfolded

Fortunately, Zbigniew did not listen to Sylwester’s advice and did not pretend during the category B medical examination that he did not have a vision defect.

How was Zbyszek’s medical examination carried out?

  • In the first step, he prepared the necessary documents, glasses, and cash with which he went to the doctor.
  • In the second step, he filled out the form honestly, indicating that he had a visual impairment.
  • In the third step, he began the test during which, among other things, he read letters from a board while wearing glasses.
  • In the fourth step, Zbyszek asked the doctor to issue him a driving license for contact lenses and he received a certificate for the longest possible period, i.e. valid for 15 years…

In this way, Zbyszek obtained a PKK number and started a course at the „Lauto” driving school in Warsaw , with the help of which he passed the WORD exams at the first attempt.

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Which course to choose: basic, express or individual? Driving school „Lauto” from Warsaw compares these three forms of category B course

Three friends: Michał, Łukasz and John decided to take a course at a driving school in Warsaw. For this purpose, they met in a bar in the city, where they wondered whether it would be better to choose a basic course, an accelerated course (called express), or maybe an individual course. During the conversation, there was a loud exchange of words, because each of them insisted on a different option.

– The basic course will be the best! – said Michał and continued: – It guarantees optimal preparation for the exam and driving in the capital…

„You’re stupid!” said Łukasz and banged his fist on the table so much that the mugs jumped. „It’s better to take some time off from work and studies and focus on just one thing, the crash course…”

– I think – John interrupted in broken Polish – that Michał is right, but on condition that the instructor ensures an individual approach to the student… That’s why an individual course will be the best!

– Since each of us insists on his own – Łukasz continued – let’s make a bet on who will pass the WORD exam on the first attempt. To do this, let’s choose one school and do a course with the same instructors, so that we have equal chances. However, each of us will choose a different form of course. The one who passes the exam on the first attempt will win the bet and the others will have to give him the money for the course…

– Łukasz, don’t be a smart aleck – said Michał. – It’s obvious that your course will probably be the most expensive, so we’re the ones risking the most. Let’s make it so that in case of a loss, we’ll have to shoot the winner twice from the head regardless of the course price… Are you in?

Everyone nodded and raised a toast to the successful competition…

Before we answer the question of which student was the winner, i.e. which form of training was a bull’s eye, let’s compare these three forms of the course.

Who is this category B course for? The driving school from Warsaw indicates who should choose the basic, express or individual course

  • Basic course. It is intended for students who want to thoroughly complete the training from A to Z, without rushing, in order to thoroughly master the theoretical and practical knowledge on the roads. Thanks to this, they will not only pass the exam in WORD, but also learn to drive safely on Polish roads.
  • Express (accelerated) course. This is an ideal solution for people who do not have much time and – for personal or professional reasons – want to complete the training quickly. For example: someone starts a new job and urgently needs a driving license, someone else suddenly has to drive a loved one to the doctor or wants to drive to a plot of land outside the city every day…
  • Individual course. It is intended for those students who are unable to attend lectures on the dates proposed by OSK and require a personalized approach to better understand the theory, for example foreigners or people for whom road law sounds like Chinese.

How does a specific category B course work? A driving school from Warsaw explains the characteristics of a basic, express and individual course

  • Basic course. According to the regulation, each student must complete 30 hours of theory (45 minutes each) and 30 hours of practice (60 minutes each). This requirement applies to any form of course, but during the basic course, these hours are spread out over time. Theory is usually taught over two weeks during four lectures (either four days in the middle of the week or two weekends). In turn, driving lessons are held 2 or 3 times a week, usually 2 hours each. Given that it is difficult to master driving in the statutory time, some schools offer an extended version of the basic course, which immediately includes 40 hours of driving lessons.
  • Express course (accelerated). It is characterized by an intensive pace of training. For example, theory can be completed in one weekend, and driving lessons are daily, from Monday to Sunday.
  • Individual course. The specificity of this course is that only the theoretical training is individual. The practice is always individual, regardless of the form of the course. This training can take place both in a lecture room, face to face with a lecturer, and in the privacy of the student’s home in the form of traditional tutoring. Who would forbid a rich man…

How much does a given category B course cost? A driving school from Warsaw suggests the differences in the prices of three types of courses

  • Basic course. Its price is around 4000 PLN. To this you have to add additional hours of driving, if necessary, as well as additional fees for WORD exams or medical examinations.
  • Express (fast track) course. For the possibility of daily rides you will have to pay around PLN 5,400 plus additional costs.
  • Individual course. Here too, the price of the course in the basic hourly amount is approximately PLN 5,400.
  1. How long does a specific category B course take? A driving school from Warsaw explains how long it will take to complete a basic, express or individual course
  • Basic course. This training should take 4 to 8 weeks, depending on your availability.
  • Express (accelerated) course. If you have the time and a great ability to focus and absorb knowledge, you can do it in just 14 days. It is worth being careful, because some Groupon offers for an express course sell training that in practice drags on forever, lasting much longer than the basic course. In addition, courses are not equal in terms of duration. Something called an express course in one OSK lasts four weeks, which is as long as a basic course in another OSK.
  • Individual course. As with the basic version, you need to allocate 4 to 8 weeks for it.

What is the biggest disadvantage of a given course? A driving school from Warsaw assesses what are the biggest disadvantages of a basic, express and individual course

  • Basic course. Its biggest disadvantage is its duration.
  • Express course (fast track). Its biggest disadvantage is the rush that requires great concentration and increases stress, which often does not serve to solidly master driving behind the wheel.
  • Individual course. The biggest disadvantage of this training is its price, considering the fact that the theory can actually be done by yourself (without the help of a center) and for free…

What is the biggest advantage of a given course? Driving school from Warsaw explains the benefits of a basic, express and individual course

  • Basic course. Its biggest advantage is that it allows for reliable preparation for the WORD exam and for safe driving on Polish roads.
  • Express (accelerated) course. If the student focuses only on it (for example, does it during vacation) and has the right predispositions, then he can effectively complete the training in 2 weeks, not 8…
  • Individual course. Its biggest advantage is personalized theory learning, completely adapted to the natural predispositions of the student.

Summary. Which course to choose: basic, express or individual?

Now let’s return to the story in the first paragraph.

How was the course for Michał, Łukasz and John?

  • Michał chose the basic course because he was guided by common sense. He wanted to thoroughly master driving and, of course, prepare well for the WORD exam.
  • Łukasz intended to go abroad to work as a driver with a category B driving license. He was in a hurry to get it in Poland, because with our license he would be able to drive in another country for half a year, i.e. during his stay. For this purpose, he took some time off and for two weeks he pushed himself with the course.
  • John came from Great Britain and did not fully understand Polish, so he needed individual consultations in English to better grasp the theory.

Which of the friends won the bet and passed on the first try? Well, each of them passed the WORD exam on the spot, so each won the bet. As it turned out, choosing the right center was more important than the form of the course, which in this case was the „Lauto” driving school from Warsaw .