Toddler in Toy Car Gets $4 'Ticket' for Driving in Parking Lot

It's advised to be cautious of new drivers, but you probably wouldn't expect that a toddler cruising in her toy convertible would get a ticket.
Luckily, Za'Dariyah Mishaw's $4 ticket isn't real and was given by Jacksonville, Florida police to the toddler for fun, according to Jacksonville's WJXX-TV/WTLV-TV.
Good thing the two-year-old won't have to fight her parking ticket in court because it could really cut into her nap time schedule.
Toddler Gets Ticketed
Jacksonville police were responding to a criminal investigation in the toddler's condominium complex when they saw the little girl driving her toy convertible in the parking lot. While it's unclear whether the toddler was speeding or failing to observe other traffic laws, the police gave her a $4 "ticket", reports WJXX.
This isn't the first time law enforcement has shown their sense of humor by issuing joke tickets to kids and their toy cars. Last year, police in Utah "ticketed" a hot-pink Barbie Jeep left behind by neighborhood kids for blocking a driveway.
Jacksonville law enforcement hoped that the feel-good interaction between the toddler and her parents will sway the public's negative opinion about the city's police force, according to WJXX.
Real Traffic Infractions
While handing out fake traffic tickets to young kids can be good fun, getting an enforceable traffic ticket is not. For example, in Florida, drivers who are traveling 10-14 m.p.h. over the speed limit in a school zone can be issued a $200 fine.
Even if you're issued a ticket, you might be able to fight it in traffic court. For example, the alleged illegal driving might be justified if you were swerving dangerously in order to avoid hitting a cyclist who suddenly fell.
Drivers who aren't as lucky (or cute) as the toddler should consult a traffic ticket attorney in their area for advice on how to fight traffic infractions.
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Related Resources:
- Florida Police 'Ticket' 2-Year-Old Girl Driving White Convertible (ABC News)
- Philly Mom Ticketed When Son, 2, Pees in Street (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
- 9-Year-Old Gets Jury Duty Summons: 'What's a Jury Duty?' (FindLaw's Legal Grounds)
- 5-Year-Old Witness Sketches Suspect for Police (and It's Adorable) (FindLaw's Legal Grounds)