Car loaded with 13 pulled over

  • 26/02/2017
The police were responding to calls from concerned road users who spotted the packed car (file)
The police were responding to calls from concerned road users who spotted the packed car (file)

An Auckland road cop couldn't believe her eyes when she pulled over a four-wheel drive on the motorway last month.

Constable Sheryll Pearce was responding to calls from concerned road users who spotted the Nissan, carrying five adults and eight unrestrained children.

Only two people were wearing seatbelts in the car, which had twice as many people than seats. 

Const Pearce told the New Zealand Herald she couldn't fathom how anyone thought it was a good idea. 

"It's unthinkable that adults who have children they love could not care enough about making sure their children were secure. I was appalled," she says. 

"One person in the car, a mother, thought breastfeeding her baby was okay and got angry at me for being upset with them."

"I was nearly brought to tears by it, I was so angry and frustrated."

The travellers realised the cop was concerned and apologised profusely for their actions. 

The road users didn't get off scot-free; they were issued two fines out of a possible 11. 

Const Pearce said she could have fined them more, but wanted them to spend their money on child restraints instead - and ordered the family to purchase them immediately. 

Newshub.