California driver caught using mannequin to drive in carpool lane
A mannequin is seen in the passenger seat of a truck that the driver was using to use the carpool lane on the 57 Freeway in Brea, Calif. (Brea Police Department via AP)
BREA, Calif. — A California driver has been cited for using a mannequin — not a real person — to drive in the carpool lane.
The Orange County Register reports that Brea police found the mannequin Friday inside a truck on the congested 57 freeway.
The truck veered out of the carpool lane close to an officer’s motorcycle. As the officer attempted to warn the driver to be careful, he noticed the passenger wasn’t a passenger.
Police say the driver acknowledged using the mannequin in the carpool lane for some time. The driver told police that he would now accept that he needs to sit in traffic like everyone else.
California requires that a vehicle have a minimum of two people for carpool lanes. Driving alone requires a fine of at least $481.
