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Spears, Lohan Notorious For Bad Driving

Celebs Have Had Well-Chronicled Driving Troubles

Tuesday, August 19, 2008 – updated: 9:06 am EDT August 19, 2008

Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan often have had issues with the media chronicling their behavior. Much of what the press has had to report on is their behavior on behind the wheel.

Spears' driving has become such an issue that the San Francisco Chronicle reported in December that Spears' driving had become so dangerous that even the paparazzi were complaining.

Spears was caught driving her white Mercedes-Benz at speeds of up to 100 mph in Los Angeles on Thursday night, prompting photographers to beg her to slow down over fears for her and other people's safety.

On footage filmed by Hollywood.TV, Spears ignored the pleas and continued to make a number of illegal u-turns.

In 2007, during her custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline, a judge banned the singer from getting behind the wheel with her two kids in the car after a string of traffic incidents.

One of Spears' most recent incidents was an accident that was photographed and videotaped by paparazzi in August 2007, when she hit a car while trying to navigate her Mercedes-Benz into a parking spot -- all while driving with the her dog on her lap.

The Washington Post reported that she assessed the damage to her car, ignored the car she hit, and walked away to shop.

But one of her more famous incidents came in 2006.

Spears took off from a coffee shop in Los Angeles without putting her son, Sean Preston, in his rear baby seat because she was suddenly hounded by paparazzi. She drove off with her son on her lap.

"Today, I had a horrifying, frightful encounter with the paparazzi while I was with my baby," Spears said in a statement following the incident. "I was terrified that this time the physically aggressive paparazzi would put both me and my baby in danger. I instinctively took measures to get my baby and me out of harm's way. I love my child and would do anything to protect him."

In July 2007, Lohan drove after the mother of her former personal assistant, causing the woman to call 911 for help.

People.com reported that authorities also found Lohan and the woman in what they called a "heated debate." Police also said two men were with Lohan in the vehicle.

Lohan was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence and with a suspended license, and felony cocaine possession.

Earlier this year, Lohan settled a lawsuit filed by a busboy claiming the actress was negligent when her car collided with his van, according to court papers.

People.com said the terms of the agreement were not revealed, Raymundo Ortega originally had asked for $200,000 in damages.

Ortega had claimed Lohan was consuming alcohol at a West Los Angeles restaurant The Ivy before the 2005 crash, even though she was underage at the time.

Lohan denied his claim, saying in court papers: "I did not consume an alcoholic beverage or any type of medication or drug."

She filed a countersuit, noting that a California Highway Patrol report blamed Ortega for the crash on the grounds that he made an illegal u-turn.

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