Police arrest 'drink driver' napping on hard shoulder of busy M6 motorway

13 May 2023 , 15:03

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A drink-driver was caught napping on the hard shoulder of the M6 after being spotted weaving between lanes (Image: Twitter/NWmwaypolice)

Police have arrested an alleged drink driver who was found sleeping at the wheel of their Ford Fiesta on the hard shoulder of a busy motorway.

Shocked officers from the North West Motorway Police made the arrest after horrified members of the public reported a vehicle swerving down the motorway.

Traffic cops came across the car parked up on the hard shoulder of the motorway in the early hours of today (Saturday) at junction 21 near Woolston, near Warrington, Cheshire.

After administering a breathalyser test officers found the driver was almost twice the drink drive limit and took him into custody.

North West Motorway Police is a unit comprised of Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester Police traffic officers.

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The busy M6 motorway (MEN Media)

They tweeted that their patrol found the driver fast asleep in their car - with the initial alarm raised after other motorists spotted the driver "weaving" down the motorway.

In a post on social media, North West Motorway Police said: "Thank you to those who reported the driver of this Fiesta weaving up the M6.

"Patrols located it on the hard shoulder at junction 21 after the driver pulled over for a nap. The driver is now napping in a safer environment after being nearly twice the drink drive limit."

The Highway Code, states that if you are drunk in your car you could be prosecuted, and get a £2,500 fine regardless of what you are doing.

If you're caught sleeping while drunk in your car, you may still be penalised for being "in control" of a vehicle whilst over the legal alcohol limit.

Police said they had found the driver a safer place to take a nap (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The rule also applies if you’re sleeping in your motorhome too.

The sleeping rule in particular comes under the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The law says that a motorist can be found guilty of the offence if they are "in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in his breath, blood or urine exceeds the prescribed limit".

The rules are in place to prevent someone from inadvertently driving whilst under the influence when they wake up thinking they are sober.

Chris Riches