Avon and Somerset police initially said the motorway was closed between Bridgwater and Taunton in Somerset after the fatal collision involving a pedestrian and a car at 11pm on Monday.
The force said a mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) watchdog because of the recent prior police contact.
Yesterday, the IOPC revealed the 17-year-old girl was being transported to custody in a police vehicle and left the vehicle shortly before the collision.
An IOPC spokesperson said: "We have started an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a 17-year-old girl who was struck by a vehicle on the M5 near Taunton last night.
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