Police in Lublin, Poland, arrested an intoxicated man who they say abandoned his car at an intersection and walked off barefoot to steal gasoline from a nearby gas station. The man has been under a lifetime driving ban since 2019, according to TVP World. Officers stopped him as he was making his way back to the car.
Police received a report of a driver behaving erratically on Saturday morning. The caller said the man had left his car stopped in the middle of an intersection and wandered away, completely barefoot. Officers were still on their way to the call when a second incident came in about a fuel theft at a gas station nearby.
The two reports turned out to involve the same man. At the gas station, police say, he emptied a bucket of water that had been set out for cleaning windshields. He then filled the bucket with more than seven liters of gasoline, close to two gallons, and left without paying.
Officers caught up with the man when he walked back to his car and took him into custody. Driving while under a court-imposed ban is itself a crime in Poland. Police say his conduct also involved drink driving and theft. He didn’t seem to mind that he didn’t have the legal right to get behind the wheel.
How Common Is Driving on a Suspended License?
A barefoot drunk driver with a lifetime driving ban was arrested in eastern Poland after abandoning his car in the middle of an intersection and allegedly stealing more than seven liters of fuel from a nearby gas station using a windshield-cleaning bucket.…
— TVP World (@TVPWorld_com) June 15, 2026
Driving after a license has been pulled is very common for some. Research has long estimated that around 75% of drivers with a suspended or revoked license keep driving anyway. In the United States, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that about one in five fatal crashes involves a driver who is unlicensed or whose license is invalid.
These drivers also pose a higher risk on the road. Studies have found that people who drive on a suspended or revoked license are roughly three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than those who are properly licensed. Poland usually reserves lifetime bans for its most serious cases like repeat drunk driving. It also treats any violation of a ban as a criminal offense punishable by prison.
What to Do If Your License Is Suspended
If your license is suspended or revoked, it’s obviously a bad idea to stop driving. Getting caught behind the wheel can add new charges. It can also extend your suspension or land you in jail. You’ll need to find out exactly why your license was suspended and what’s necessary to get it back before making any moves.
In the meantime, lean on other ways to get around like rideshares or other friends’ transportation. Some states offer a restricted or hardship license that lets you drive to work, school, or medical appointments, so it’s worth checking to see if you qualify. If your suspension is because of a DUI, the most reliable way to avoid another one is to plan a sober ride before you go out instead of when you’re heading home.