Belgian police courts imposed 105,485 driving bans on motorists in 2022 for traffic violations, according to the latest figures released by the College of Courts and Tribunals.
The statistics cover Belgium's 38 court divisions, which are grouped into 15 police courts – hybrid courts with both penal and civil chambers. These courts deal with traffic offences and compensation claims following a traffic accident.
The police court of the Antwerp province declared the most driving bans (16,944), followed closely by the courts of East Flanders (16,883) and French-speaking Brussels (13,203).
A driving ban is left to the discretion of the judge in instances of mobile phone use behind the wheel, driving without insurance, a technical inspection or a driving licence. However, there are a number of offences for which the law requires the court to issue a driving ban.
Cases that require a driving ban include: hit-and-run offences (involving injury or death), driving under a ban, drunk driving, serious speeding offences, crossing a railway while the barriers are down and reversing on the hard shoulder of a motorway.
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These figures do not concern, however, revoked licences decided by the public prosecutor, but rather driving bans imposed by police courts.
Withdrawals take place at the moment of the offence and the period is subtracted from the driving ban should a judge later impose a longer driving ban.
