Shocking picture shows baby lying unrestrained across car front seat when police stop woman outside school – and she had an empty baby seat in the back

Police have sternly warned drivers they will face the full force of the law if they endanger others – after encountering a baby laid unrestrained across the front seat of a car outside a school.

Horrified officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) road policing unit stopped a car in Whitefield, on the edge of Bury, Greater Manchester on Tuesday afternoon as they carried out routine checks outside a local school.

They had not expected to find a baby, dressed in a romper suit, lying horizontally across the passenger seat, its head pointing towards the passenger door, next to a woman in an orange dress in the driver’s seat.

GMP shared an image from one officer’s bodyworn camera on social media – and later disclosed that there was an unoccupied baby seat in the back of the car where the infant should have been safely restrained.

Other children were also sitting in the back without their seatbelts on. Police say they have made ‘urgent care referrals’ to relevant schools and social services. 

The driver was reported for the offence of carrying passengers in an unsafe manner.

Sharing the image on social media on Wednesday, GMP’s roads unit said: ‘That’s not a doll lay on the front seat. That’s a real baby.

‘Subsequently need your help X followers – Your help to publicise far & wide that whilst our mission is to work with drivers to promote safer roads, NO discretion will be shown to those who endanger vulnerable passengers.’

The image has been viewed more than 110,000 times on X, formerly Twitter. GMP later added in a reply that it had been ‘the worst incident (relating to road safety) he had ever witnessed’.

GMP then issued a further statement, expressing hopes that the post would serve as a warning to others. 

Inspector Jamie Buchanan, of GMP’s Specialist Operations, said: ‘We posted an image on social media (on Tuesday) which highlights the overarching mission of our roads policing officers; to work towards zero fatalities on our roads.

‘Our officers do this by working with the public of Greater Manchester to highlight and educate on road safety issues, paying particular emphasis to re-enforce ‘Fatal Four’ offences.

‘Make no mistake however – our officers show zero tolerance towards any individual found to be engaging in dangerous driving behaviour.

‘The truly shocking detail with this incident is that the vehicle had a baby seat fitted in the rear of the car, where other older children were sat, also unrestrained.

‘We continue to tackle behaviours which puts vulnerable passengers and other road users at risk of death or serious injury and the majority of the law abiding public can rest assured that drivers such as this individual, can expect to be faced with the full force of the law.’