Acting Sgt Damian Loiterton, of Wangaratta police, said one of the teenagers had borrowed his parents’ red Mazda sedan without permission late on Friday night.

He had taken five friends for a joy ride before losing control of the car on a dirt road and rolling it just outside of Wangaratta.

Police were alerted to the accident about 10pm after two of the youths, who both received serious head injuries, flagged down a passing motorist and asked for a lift to the hospital.

Two more teenagers were tracked down at a nearby residential address and were taken to hospital by ambulance.

Police found the last pair walking back into town.

Sgt Loiterton said the fact the teens had got into the car was remarkable given it was only one day after three Shepparton teenagers were killed when the car they were in hit a tree and rolled north of Mooroopna.

“The Shepparton incident should have been warning enough, but these kids have done worse because they all split up and walked off in different directions afterwards,” he said.

“After finding the second pair, it took us nearly an hour to work out there were two more people in the crash because the kids didn’t tell us.

“That last pair could have been on the side of the road with serious injuries and no one would have known.”

Sgt Loiterton said police were still investigating if any of the teenagers were licensed.

He said alcohol may have contributed to the accident, but the driver was not speeding.

“If high speed was a factor in this accident then we would have been dealing with a fatality,” he said.

“These kids are definitely lucky to be alive.”

The youths’ parents were called to the hospital and some of the teens remained there last night.

Sgt Loiterton urged young people to get help in an emergency, despite the trouble they may be in.

“No matter how serious a situation you get yourself into you should always look out for the safety of your mates,” he said.

- Editorial — page 14