The most common fine for learner drivers was for not being accompanied while driving, which saw 6131 people fined on Western Bay roads in the three-year period.
Learners were also commonly fined for failing to display an "L" plate, for which 1649 fines were issued in that period, and for driving without a suitable overseer, which racked up 521 fines.
The majority of fines issued to restricted drivers were for carrying unauthorised passengers, for which 2163 people were caught and fined.
Western Bay of Plenty head of road policing acting Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter said despite the 2017 decrease in fines, there were still too many drivers breaching their conditions.
"There are young drivers out there who think they are bulletproof and won't get pulled over, but they eventually will," he said.
Hunter said the decrease in fines was due to the amount of compliance education police had undertaken.
Compliance meant a person issued with a ticket could have it waived if they supplied evidence the fault or defect had been fixed, or that a requirement had been met, within a set time-frame.
Hunter said it was at the discretion of the police officer as to whether a driver was given compliance.
The practice had been in place for many years, however, Hunter said police had been "driving it a bit more lately".
Hunter recalled many instances when he had pulled over a learner or restricted driver who was breaching their conditions.
"The thing they've got to realise is if they have a crash they won't be covered by their insurance."
The cost of a fine for any breach of a learner or restricted licence, excluding the requirement to display an "L" plate, was $100 and the offender would gain 35 demerit points.
"If you get pinged three times, that's a loss of licence for three months," Hunter said.
Bay of Plenty Driving School owner Jeroen van der Beek said he had seen an increase in people booking driving lessons to help them pass the next stage of their licence so they could gain compliance and have their infringement notices waived.
He said students did not always tell him the reason for taking driving lessons but he often found out if they were trying to fulfil a compliance because of time constraints.
"Some people realise they must pass their driving test suddenly so they will book a couple of lessons," van der Beek said.
Not worth the risk
Breaching the conditions of her restricted licence is "not worth it" for Lilli Scott.
But the 17-year-old Aquinas College student knew of local teenagers who frequently broke the rules.
"I would say it's less common for restricted drivers to stick to the conditions of their licence," she said.
Scott, who had been on her restricted licence for six months, said it was far more common to hear about restricted drivers breaking the rules rather than learner drivers.
"It's not worth it because if you have someone in the car and have a crash your insurance won't cover you," Scott said.