Thousands of people are still driving around in the Netherlands despite being given a driving ban, either for drink and drugs offences or because they are no longer considered safe on the road, broadcaster NOS said on Friday.

In 2016, some 5,000 people who were banned from driving did not hand back their driving licence to the issuing authority CBR, figures from the agency show.

While not everyone who has been banned from driving still gets behind the wheel, the police stop an average of 3,000 people a year who do not have a valid licence, NOS said.

Repeat offenders fine of up to €8,300, or a prison term of three months.