Two charged after police catch man sitting in back of open hatchback on N.S. highway

A man is pictured sitting in the back of an open hatchback as the vehicle travels down Highway 105 in Cape Breton in this still image taken from video. (Nova Scotia RCMP)

Two men are facing charges after an RCMP officer spotted a man sitting in the back of an open hatchback travelling down a Cape Breton highway – an incident the officer captured on video.

The RCMP says the officer was patrolling Highway 105 near Port Bevis, N.S., around 3 p.m. on June 27 when the Mazda3 passed by, travelling at the maximum speed limit of 100 km/h.

Police say the man in the back of the open hatchback was filming and a second vehicle was following the Mazda3.

The officer pulled the vehicle over and ticketed the driver and passenger under the Motor Vehicle Act.

“In this case, the man was strapped into the hatchback with an improvised safety restraint,” said Staff Sgt. Wes Blair, acting officer in charge of RCMP Traffic Services, in a news release Friday.

“A temporary harness, strap, or improvised restraint does not replace a seatbelt, a proper seating position, closed doors, and the safety systems built into the vehicle.”

The Nova Scotia RCMP also posted a video of the incident on Facebook. The video appears to show the man sitting in the back of the moving vehicle, with the hatchback door open, and his legs dangling out of the car. It then shows the vehicle pulled over and the RCMP officer opening the back door to reveal the man curled up inside.

The 21-year-old driver from Hubbards, N.S., received a summary offence ticket for permitting a person to ride on a portion of a vehicle not designed for passengers.

The 25-year-old passenger from Moncton, N.B., received a summary offence ticket for riding on a portion of a vehicle not designed for passengers.

Police are reminding drivers they’re responsible for operating their vehicle safely and for ensuring passengers are properly seated and restrained, while passengers are also responsible for following the law and avoiding risky behaviour.

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