Skeleton in HOV lane
The California Highway Patrol shared a photo of a driver using the carpool lane with a Halloween prop. CHP

California police are reminding Halloween enthusiasts that carpool lane companions must have a heartbeat in a hilarious Facebook post.

The California Highway Patrol in San Jose shared a photo of a driver seemingly receiving a ticket for driving in the carpool lane with a terrifying mask and skeleton costume strapped to his passenger seat.

"While #spookyseason is upon us, it's important to remember that decorations being transported in the passenger seat do not qualify to meet carpool requirements. #californiahighwaypatrol #santaclaracounty #carpool #halloweendecor," the post read.

The post went viral, with hundreds of users chiming in on their experiences with the carpool lane.

"It's the oldest car-pool trick in the book. When I was a kid in the 1970s, I saw cars with dressed mannequins," User Donald Fong comments.

Several users defended the harmless prankster's action and chided the department for reprimanding him a ticket.

"They should have left that guy alone," Robert Blakemore wrote.

"It is a pretty stupid thing to pull over a person for having a Halloween toy in the passenger seat. People enjoy seeing that as they look over at the car. I believe the man just wanted to share a Halloween decoration and this is not right. They should have just told him to move the item from the front seat and let it go," he added in his comment.

Facebook Halloween