A Virginia driver was pulled over by police moments after illegally overtaking stationary traffic by driving along the road shoulder, in an incident captured on body-worn camera and shared publicly by the Fairfax County Police Department. The footage shows the Subaru driver weaving past dozens of queued vehicles before an officer, already patrolling the interstate, immediately signalled him to stop; seconds later, two ambulances with lights flashing were forced to use the same shoulder to reach an emergency, illustrating exactly why the manoeuvre is prohibited.

The officer told the driver his actions had blocked the path first responders needed, and the driver admitted he had "no good reason" for cutting through. Driving on the shoulder is classed as reckless driving in Virginia, a misdemeanour that can carry points on a licence, a fine of up to $2,500, a jail term of up to one year and a driving suspension of up to six months; it remains unclear whether this driver was cited. Fairfax County Police did not disclose the driver's identity or the exact location and date of the stop, but the video has since gone viral on Facebook, with many commenters praising the officer's timing.