Friday, September 16, 2011
The world’s youngest driver?
A YouTube clip of a 4-year-old Chinese girl driving a car has caused an internet sensation.
In the video, the girl, perhaps the youngest driver in the world, sits in the driver’s seat as she calmly drives along a motorway in Shandong Province – an area not noted for its safe and sedate driving.
Amazingly, she is seen overtaking other vehicles as she drives at speed, while her parents appear completely nonplussed, occasionally interacting with her from the backseat until her father says, “Jia Zeng, stop the car. Let daddy drive.”
As someone with young nephews and nieces, as much as I’m shocked to see a 4-year-old allowed behind the wheel, I’m equally astounded at how well-behaved she is. It’s usually at the point that you ask a young child to do something that it throws itself headlong into a tantrum – certainly not something you’d particularly want if it was piloting a car down the motorway.
Once she’s pulled over to let her daddy drive, he pops out of the back seat and removes some wooden blocks from the accelerator – meanwhile she returns to being a normal 4-year-old and pops a sweetie in her mouth.
I’m not familiar with motoring law in China, but I find it hard to imagine that it wouldn’t be an offence. I’m also certain that Chinese car insurance companies don’t offer car insurance to drivers as young as four.
Poor girl, it might look like fun, but it is impossible not to fear for her safety.
Labels: 4-year-old, car insurance, Chinese girl driving a car, young, youngest driver in the world
#
posted by Fuse @ 1:55 AM 
Post a Comment