P-plater booked at 151km/h as South Australia road deaths spike

A P-plater in South Australia immediately lost his licence this week after being detected driving at 151km/h in Adelaide.

Police say the 19-year-old was more than 60km/h over the 90km/h speed limit in a “Toyota hatch” on the North-South Motorway at 1:40 am on Monday morning.

The man was booked by police for excessive speed and issued with a six-month instant loss of licence.

This news comes as South Australia recorded its highest June road fatality count since 2015, with 11 people killed on the state's roads.

Five of the deaths were drivers, four were pedestrians, and the remainder were a cyclist and a motorcyclist.

South Australia could be on track for a more deadly year than last year, with 58 fatalities recorded so far in the first six months of 2026, compared to 38 recorded in the first six months of 2025.

Speed is considered by road safety experts as the most important factor in a crash, with higher speeds increasing the likelihood and severity of a crash.