Police have arrested a 16-year-old boy after he drove three friends for approximately 50 miles along the M6 motorway in a car he had purchased hours earlier. The red Kia, bought for £250, was stopped at Stafford services after officers were alerted that the vehicle was untaxed, uninsured, and lacked a valid MOT.
Officers from Cheshire Police initiated a pursuit after the car failed to stop. Upon pulling the vehicle over, they discovered four juveniles inside. The driver admitted to officers that he was sorry for his actions and confirmed his parents were unaware he was driving.
One of the passengers informed an officer that the driver was 16, a detail that surprised the officers. The driver was subsequently arrested and later charged with driving without a license and driving without insurance. The incident was captured on camera for the Channel 5 program 'Motorway Cops'.
The incident occurs amidst growing concerns over dangerous driving, particularly videos shared on social media depicting reckless behavior. Recent tragedies, including a crash that killed two police officers and a separate incident where five teenagers died in a wrong-way collision on the M9, have heightened calls for action. The government has urged social media platforms to remove content featuring dangerous driving stunts.