Driver riding with 2 mannequins charged with HOV offence

A driver has been charged with a High-Occupancy-Vehicle offence after police spotted two mannequins – both wearing seatbelts – riding in a pickup truck Wednesday morning.

The incident happened shortly before 9 a.m. Police say a Dodge pickup truck was travelling eastbound on the Gardiner Expressway, just east of Kipling Avenue, in the "clearly" marked HOV lane, when an officer noticed the front-seat passenger didn't appear life-like.

"The driver was stopped a short distance later, and upon approaching the driver’s side of the vehicle, the officer was immediately able to determine that the front-seat and back-seat passengers were dressed mannequins," police said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.

Police say the driver, who has not been identified, was charged with an HOV offence.

The current HOV policy in Ontario is that vehicles using the lanes must have at least two occupants. During the period of June 29 to July 27, police have increased the minimum to three occupants in all vehicles making use of the HOV lanes.