Western Australian police are investigating footage that appears to show a three-year-old driving a car through a suburban Perth street while sitting on an adult’s lap and not wearing a restraint.
The child is seen steering as the man filming the incident gives directions and records the stunt on his phone. The vehicle appears to mount the kerb during the journey.
“Go . . . steer! Look, look there’s my hands it’s all . . . look where you’re going! Don’t crash!” the man says in the footage.
He later tells the child: “Left that way that way that way go go go!” before shouting: “Oh s..t go straight straight straight . . . go up the curb, up the curb.”
At the end of the clip, he says: “Oh we made it! Yeah . . . say hello yeah I did it! Three-year-old driving a car!”
Road Policing Operations Superintendent Michael Dalla-Costa described the footage as “deeply concerning”, warning that a vehicle “is not a toy”.
“Children rely on adults to make safe decisions on their behalf. A vehicle is not a toy, and allowing a child to steer a moving vehicle, particularly if not properly restrained, can have serious consequences,” he said.
“One unexpected movement, a child running onto the road, a cyclist, a pedestrian, or a simple mistake could have ended in tragedy.”
Western Australia’s former top police officer Karl O’Callaghan said the incident ranked among the most dangerous things he had seen during his six years as a traffic officer.
“I’m staggered about how stupid this guy actually is,” Mr O’Callaghan said.
Labor Minister Matthew Swinbourn also condemned the incident as “just ridiculous”, saying the child could have faced death or permanent injury in a crash.
“The fact that somebody would let a child be behind a wheel of their car for their amusement and obviously for their entertainment and their clout on social media is just appalling,” he said.
Investigators are seeking witnesses and anyone with dashcam, mobile phone or CCTV footage of the incident. Information can be provided to Crime Stoppers WA online or by calling 1800 333 000.
