According to a municipal court judge in Arizona, unborn fetuses do not share the same commuter rights as their born counterparts. So, much to the chagrin of expectant mothers everywhere, they cannot be counted as occupants in HOV Lanes:
Candace Dickinson was fined $367 for improper use of a carpool lane, but contended her unborn child qualified to use the lane. Motorists who use the lanes normally must carry at least one passenger during weekday rush hours.
Municipal Judge Dennis Freeman rejected Dickinson’s argument Tuesday, applying a “common sense” definition in which an individual is someone who occupies a “separate and distinct” space in a vehicle.
“The law is meant to fill empty space in a vehicle,” the judge said.