Ohio state lawmaker Andrew Brenner attempted to fly under the radar during his participation in a virtual government meeting while behind the wheel earlier this month. To add insult to injury, the subject carried out this act of carelessness on the very same day that a bill to ban distracted driving was introduced, which ironically includes texting and live streaming.

The footage of the meeting, which was live-streamed and available for public viewing, initially showed Brenner sitting inside a parked car. The senator left the call a few minutes later and reconnected with what seemed to be the background of his home office.

The most unusual difference, however, was the seatbelt strapped across his chest. Mr Brenner, a Republican who represents an area north of Columbus, then continued to carry out the meeting nonchalantly as he responded to questions from members of the state Controlling Board while paying an unusual amount of attention to whatever was ahead of the camera.

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If the seatbelt and front-facing gaze weren’t suspicious enough, bits and pieces of the lawmaker’s background seemed to morph into what appeared to be like a cabin of a vehicle. Mr Brenner didn’t do much to play a convincing role either, as viewers are able to see footage of him looking around constantly and making right-hand turns inside his “office.”

For obvious reasons, Brenner was later forced to admit that he was, in fact, driving during the Zoom meeting, claiming, however, that he was not distracted. The senator went on to say the cause of his actions was due to back-to-back meetings that required his attendance and added that he had been on numerous other calls while driving before. His concluding statements pointed out that he was wearing a seatbelt and paying attention to the road the entire time.

Mr Brenner, however, isn’t the only individual who tried to make the most of online meetings. As a result of the pandemic, the new norm has shown us some of the most unusual occurrences, such as a plastic surgeon from California who attended a Zoom meeting from inside an operating room to a Texan lawyer who had feline-like features inherited through a filter.

Despite Last Year’s Pandemic, The National Safety Council estimates that more than 42,060 people succumbed to road traffic collisions last year. It represents the highest ever figure since 2007. The NSC also estimates that 4.8 million people were seriously injured in crashes last year. These figure have led to calls for tighter regulations, including a blanket ban on all mobile devices behind the wheel — even those used with handsfree kits or devices.