In a rather shocking video on social media, an 8-year old child can be seen driving a Toyota Fortuner. In a vlog, the boy is driving the SUV and apparently his father is making the video. Surprisingly, the adult individual doesn’t seem to notice how dangerous it is and such practices should not be encouraged.
The carelessness doesn’t stop here as the child said in the video that he has been driving since the age of six. “I used to drive Honda Civic before this,” the child says rather proudly. Although the kid is driving the car in an empty plot, still this is awful practice because it can be very harmful for the child and his life.
Sadly, this is not the first time such incident has happened. There are multiple videos where once can see a child on the driving seat. We have written about this issue in detail and how it is a serious danger to the life of the child.
Threats to Children Safety
We should keep in mind that infants and toddlers’ bodies are in the process of development. The head, neck, spine are going through critical stages of growth, and a lot of care is required till the age of 6. Any abrupt movement can cause injury to the spine, which is still not fully mature and can result in paralysis. Even a minor headbang into the vehicle’s hard surfaces can have serious outcomes.
Please remember, not all injuries are visible. Kids, not restraint, in the proper seat can experience concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and lifelong disabilities. Studies have shown that certified seats with proper installation have reduced children’s death in car crashes by 71% for infants and 54% for kids between ages of 1 to 4. Meanwhile, the percentage is around 59% for children between the ages of 4 to 7. For older children and adults, seat belt use reduces the risk for death and serious injury by about half.
For a detailed read on child safety in cars, click here.
So, once again, don’t let the minors drive cars because a minor carelessness may lead to serious injury or even life loss.
