LA man uses mannequin to drive in carpool lane

SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. - One Los Angeles man finally got an answer to the age-old question: "Does a mannequin count as a second occupant for the carpool lane if it sits in the passenger seat?"

Well, California Highway Patrol officers in Santa Fe Springs answered that question in an Instagram post Thursday.

"The answer is simple," said CHP Santa Fe Springs in their post, "NO."

Officer Kaplan made the enforcement stop after the driver allegedly crossed solid double lines. After he pulled over the driver, the officer realized the occupant in the car was not in fact a passenger, but a plastic "friend."

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"The goatee was sharp…a little too sharp," said CHP Santa Fe Springs in their social media post.

Officer Kaplan said he issued the driver a citation for multiple carpool violations.

CHP Santa Fe Springs advised drivers to plan ahead, and know your route of travel to avoid being in a rush and tempted to push your luck.

"We've gotta give it to them," CHP Santa Fe Springs said on Instagram. "The appearance is next level modeling, but at the end of the day…plastic is plastic."