According to police, a woman was found walking her dog on Friday in the emergency lane in China's Hubei Province while her boyfriend "answered an urgent call of nature" by the roadside with their car parked in the middle of the highway, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The driver did not set up a warning triangle behind the car as a result passing vehicles had to slow down suddenly and change lanes to avoid the danger, the report said.
Friday was the first day of China's three-day May Day holiday, during which expressway tolls were canceled to boost domestic tourism.