North Carolina cops pulled over a car Wednesday and discovered a 12-year-old boy behind the wheel after the child apparently decided to drive himself to school because he missed his bus.
Officers pulled over an SUV around 8:30 a.m. after its driver showed “suspicious behavior” and discovered his vehicle was equipped with a “fictitious license plate,” according to the Monroe Police Department.
During the “unusual” stop, the cops learned the driver was a 12-year-old boy who told them he missed his school bus and “made the decision to drive himself to school,” police said.
A Resource Officer assigned to the studious tween’s school was contacted and took him to his campus, police said.
Cops urged parents and guardians to secure their car keys and ensure their children do not have any access to vehicles without supervision.
“Allowing an unlicensed juvenile to operate a motor vehicle creates significant safety risks to the child and the public,” the department said in a statement.
It is not immediately clear why the car’s license plates were fictitious.
A referral has been made to the Department of Social Services for a follow-up, and officials are working with the family and community partners to ensure the boy’s well-being, authorities added.