Woman Fined for Using Carpool Lane Solo

Brandy Bottone of Plano, Texas was pulled over and ticketed for using the carpool lane, she did not have a second passenger in the car with her...or did she?

Bottone's story has been trending online since the weekend. A Texas police officer pulled over the 34-month pregnant woman a few weeks ago for driving in the carpool lane without a second passenger. When he asked her second passenger was, she pointed to her belly.

When the officer told Bottone that a baby, "didn't count", she said, "it should count". Texas law requires two people to be in a car that is using an HOV lane. Bottone said that according to Texas law, she should not be getting a ticket. The police officer issued her a $275 ticket anyway.

She's fighting it in court because Texas law defines an individual as, "a human being who is alive, including an unborn child." And the internet is having a field day with this one.

According to NBC DFW News 5, Brandy was not trying to get political, but she did bring up Roe v. Wade.

Well (I'm) not trying to throw a political mix here, but with everything going on (with Roe v. Wade), this counts as a baby. -Brandy Bottone according to NBC DFW News 5

Brandy's court date is the same day as her due date. She and her baby are due in court Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

What do you think? Is an unborn baby inside its mother considered a second person when traveling in an HOV lane?

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

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Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.