The announced on Wednesday that it had revoked the driving licences of 17,779 motorists during the first half of 2018.
That figure represents a nearly eight percent increase over the same period last year, when 16,514 driving licences were revoked.
The most common reason was speeding, the agency said via press release. Running red lights and driving while using a mobile phone were also high on the list. Sweden’s ban on the use of mobile phones in the car came into effect on February 1st, but evidence indicates that many motorists are either unaware of the change or unwilling to conform to the new law.
Despite the significant increase, agency spokesperson Kalle Molnar said the figures should not be taken as evidence that Swedes are becoming worse drivers.
“Compared to the same period in 2017, we have revoked more driving licences but seen from a long-term perspective, I think that the number of licence revocations during the first half of 2018 is normal,” he said.
