A teenager got behind the wheel for the first time after passing his test and was stuck on the M25 for eight hours.
The crash near Lakeside shopping center in Grays, Essex, at 05:30 BST on Thursday caused huge delays, with the road not reopening until 20:40 due to numerous complications.
National Highways said about a quarter of a mile (400 meters) of the road required resurfacing after the oil spill, and the colder weather had slowed down due to hot weather.
For Beatrix, a 20-minute drive with her relative turned into a long wait in a cul-de-sac, but despite the pressure, she said her driving instructor would have been impressed with her performance.
The 17-year-old from Romford, east London, said: “Me and my cousin were in the car and both our phones were broken. So we didn’t know how to get back and followed the road signs.
“I’ve never driven on the M25… so it was very scary.”