Home
World
Canada
- BC
- Calgary
- Edmonton
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba
- Thunder Bay
- Sudbury
- Windsor
- Toronto
- Ottawa
- Montreal
- NB
- PEI
- NS
- NL
- North
Politics
Health
Arts & Entertainment
- Music
- Film
- Television
- Books
- Media
- Art & Design
- Theatre
Technology & Science
Money
Consumer Life
Diversions
Weather
Your Voice

10,000 unlicensed drivers on Nova Scotia roads

Last Updated: Monday, May 28, 2007 | 10:56 AM AT

CBC News

Ten thousand people are driving without licences in Nova Scotia, says the province, and 1,000 of them have had their licences suspended because they are a danger to the public.

Nova Scotia's Registrar of Motor Vehicles, Paul Arsenault, said there is no proper way to enforce licence suspensions and the problem is widespread.

"It's a real issue, not only in Nova Scotia, but right across Canada and the U.S., where people continue to drive [without licenses]," Arsenault said.

Arsenault said the province does not have the authority to seize vehicles from drivers whose licences have been taken away, and even if it did, there is no way to stop a person from buying another vehicle to drive. Even putting chronic offenders in jail does not stop the problem entirely, he said, because some people drive again after they're released.

Arsenault said the number of people driving without licences in Nova Scotia is about five to 10 per cent of the total drivers.

"We have done surveys in the past looking at how many people drive while they are suspended, or just ignore any suspension or revocations on their driver's licences, and we are looking at around 10,000 or so."

The number of drivers considered to be dangerous and driving without licences is less than one per cent of total drivers.

Arsenault said the number of unlicensed drivers is lower in Nova Scotia than in other provinces.

This story is now closed to commenting.

Nova Scotia Headlines

Disgraced N.S. bishop's replacement named: The Roman Catholic Church has appointed a replacement for Bishop Raymond Lahey, of the Diocese of Antigonish, N.S., who is facing child pornography charges.
Search for Halifax sailor resumes in morning: The search for a Halifax sailor, who is missing somewhere between Nova Scotia and Bermuda, has been scaled back until Sunday.
McCain argues against Afghanistan exit date: U.S. Senator John McCain says military exit dates and exit strategies in Afghanistan should not even be discussed until NATO gets the upper hand in its fight against Taliban militants.
Crash victim wife of petty officer: The woman killed Friday morning in a fiery head-on collision between a sport utility vehicle and a military bus outside Dartmouth has been identified as Carmel Payne.
N.S. opens H1N1 clinics to all: All Nova Scotians are now eligible for the H1N1 vaccine.

Canada Headlines

Disgraced N.S. bishop's replacement named: The Roman Catholic Church has appointed a replacement for Bishop Raymond Lahey, of the Diocese of Antigonish, N.S., who is facing child pornography charges.
Vancouver Island evacuation order lifted: An evacuation order has been lifted for hundreds of south Vancouver Island residents forced from their homes by flooding.
4 dead in crash south of Calgary: RCMP say four people died when two vehicles collided on a stretch of divided highway about 75 kilometres south of Calgary.
N.B. man recovering after car plunges into culvert: A New Brunswick man is recovering in hospital after his car plunged into a washed-out culvert near Chipman.
McCain argues against Afghanistan exit date: U.S. Senator John McCain says military exit dates and exit strategies in Afghanistan should not even be discussed until NATO gets the upper hand in its fight against Taliban militants.

Canada Features

More Features

Top CBCNews.ca Headlines

Headlines

McCain argues against Afghanistan exit date: U.S. Senator John McCain says military exit dates and exit strategies in Afghanistan should not even be discussed until NATO gets the upper hand in its fight against Taliban militants.
Rocket hits luxury hotel in Afghan capital: At least two people were hurt when a rocket struck a wall of the heavily guarded Serena Hotel in Kabul, the Interior Ministry says.
Disgraced N.S. bishop's replacement named: The Roman Catholic Church has appointed a replacement for Bishop Raymond Lahey, of the Diocese of Antigonish, N.S., who is facing child pornography charges.
Vancouver Island evacuation order lifted: An evacuation order has been lifted for hundreds of south Vancouver Island residents forced from their homes by flooding.
42 dead after China mine blast: At least 42 miners are dead and dozens still trapped underground after a coal mine explosion in northern China early Saturday.