Quarter of banned drivers escaping detection

From January 2017 to mid-November this year, a total of 12,208 disqualified 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%. File picture: Colin Keegan/ Collins 

Almost one in four disqualified motorists are consistently avoiding being put off the roads despite being the subject of a court-imposed driving ban.

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