A 13-year-old male driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence last year.
It is one of the startling details in the Medical Bureau of Road Safety’s annual report.
Last year, one driver was arrested seven times for intoxicated driving, proving a significant issue with repeat offenders.
The report also revealed that 265 drivers were arrested for intoxicated driving multiple times.
Professor Denis Cusack, Director of the Bureau, highlighted the need for improved legislative and prosecutorial measures to address high-risk offenders.
Two drivers were arrested five times, six were arrested four times, and 22 were arrested three times over the year.
All samples are sent by Gardai to the Medical Bureau of Road Safety for analysis.
Professor Cusack said that the number of blood and urine specimens received in 2023 for alcohol analysis by the bureau “continued at a high level of 5,464 specimens”.
The report issued comes as 132 people have lost their lives on the roads this year, following 184 road deaths in 2023.
