Britney incurs wrath of Transportation Secretary for ''irresponsible'' driving

Britney incurs wrath of Transportation Secretary for ''irresponsible'' driving

PHILADELPHIA - Britney Spears' faux pas of driving with her son Sean Preston in her lap has now taken political overtones with the US Transportation Secretary, Norman Mineta calling her "irresponsible."

“Recent photos of Britney Spears driving with her infant son on her lap are troubling. And while Ms. Spears has acknowledged her mistake, her actions still send the wrong message to millions of her fans,” Mr Mineta said in Philadelphia where he was inaugurating the Child Passenger Safety Week.

Britney Spears' found herself in the middle of a storm generated after photos showed her driving along the Pacific Highway near Malibu with her five-month-old child in her lap instead of being securely cushioned in the baby seat. Spears drew much flak for her action and subsequently apologized saying that she made a mistake, but was forced to act hastily by the presence of the paparazzi.

But her excuse found no takers, “No matter who you are, there's absolutely no excuse for this display — not instinct, not fear, not even reckless paparazzi,” Mineta said. “It's irresponsible to compromise the safety of a child for the sake of the moment.”

Mr Mineta also announced $25 million in federal grant for boosting the existing safety rules for child passengers. He said that 53,000 kids fall a victim to car crashes each year. This scenario could have been avoided if they were strapped in booster sets, he said, adding that actions such as those exhibited by Britney would send the wrong message to millions of fans.

"So, I'm asking everyone today to put the safety of all of our children first," he said. "Put your children in booster seats, buckle them up, buckle yourself up and obey driving laws."