1 IN 4 BANNED DRIVERS STILL ON THE ROADS

NEARLY one in four disqualified motorists are consistently escaping being put off the roads despite having driving bans.

- SEAN MCCARTHAIGH

Figures from the Department of Transport show the authorities have been unable to enforce the disqualification of over 12,200 motorists since 2017 because their identities cannot be matched with records of the National Vehicle and Driver File operated by the department.

The annual proportion of cases where court disqualifications cannot be given effect has consistently ranged between 22% and 25% over the past six years.

From January 2017 to mid-November this year, a total of 12,208 motorists have not had the driving ban endorsed on their driving licences out of 50,841 drivers who were put off the roads by the courts - a non-enforcement rate of 24%.