Tahmoor Driving School

MORE than 21,000 South Australian learner and probationary drivers have lost their licences in the past five years.

Latest Transport Department figures, obtained by The Advertiser , show 21,095 L and P-plate drivers - more than 11 a day - have lost their licences since 2006.

So far this year, police have disqualified 3646 L and P-plate drivers - 1000 fewer than five years ago.

The most common offences resulting in a loss of licence were speeding, talking on a mobile phone, failing to display a P-plate and running a red light.

In South Australia, teens get get their L-plates at 16, then -- if they have no demerit points -- their P1 at 17 and P2 at 18. The figures show there are 72,524 P1 or P2 drivers in the state and 44,361 learners.

This means about one in every 32 drivers on L or P-plates lost their licence this year.