'Sheer luck' no-one killed after car spotted travelling on A1 at 70mph on shredded tyre
A suspected drug driver was arrested after a car was spotted travelling at 70mph on the A1 on just the metal rim of its tyre.
Northumbria Police said it was "sheer luck" that no-one was killed as a result of the incident.
A force spokesperson said sparks were flying across the carriageway, prompting an off-duty officer to raise the alarm.
The front tyre of the blue Volvo was shredded, a spokesperson said.
The car was spotted at about 7.30pm on Thursday 26 January and was seen to swerve across the road, with the wheel rim dragging on the road and debris flying across both lanes.
Police pulled it over as it headed towards the Blaydon area.
Roadside checks were carried out with the man who officers believed to be the driver. The man tested positive for being under the influence of cocaine.
A 34-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of driving whilst being under the influence of drugs and he remains under investigation.
Chief Inspector Ian Cutty, of Northumbria Police’s Motor Patrols Department, said: “It is almost beggars belief that somebody would drive a car in this condition. It is sheer luck that nobody was killed as a result.
“The front tyre had totally come off and the Volvo was seen shooting sparks on one of the region’s busiest roads, with the wheel rim dragging on the road.
“To drive a vehicle in this condition is incredibly dangerous – and this could so easily have had a very different outcome, destroying somebody’s family forever.
“We all have a responsibility to make sure our roads are as safe as they possibly can be for all road users, and I hope this sends out an important message. By driving a vehicle in this condition, you are simply rolling the dice with people’s lives and futures.
“A full investigation is ongoing into this particular incident and I would like to thank the off-duty officer who quickly alerted us. Her intervention meant we could quickly deploy resources and ensure the car was brought to a swift and safe stop.”
Anyone who sees anybody driving dangerously is asked to report it immediately to police by calling 999. You can also upload dashcam footage directly to the Northumbria Police website here - https://beta.northumbria.police.uk/our-services/report-it/dashcam-submission/
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