Licensed to Drive at 4-years-old?
Do pre-schools
teach driver's ed?
They give out driver's license to kids earlier and earlier these days, but a driving 4-year-old? That's rediculous.
According to an AP news story, a 4-year-old boy slipped out of his apartment after 1 am and jumped in his mother's Geo Prism. He must have obtain the keys somehow, because he went ahead and drove it a quarter-mile to a video rental shop. The shop was closed, so he got back in the car and started driving back home. A police cruiser spotted the seemingly-empty car swerving across the road with its lights off. The officer switched his lights on in time to see the boy pull into his apartment complex and hit two parked cars. If that weren't enough, he also put it in reverse and hit the police cruiser. Here are some other details from the article:
"He's 4 years old, his mom didn't even know he was up," Heugel told The Grand Rapids Press for a Sunday story. "I don't think he even realizes what he did."
No charges will be filed against the boy or his mother, Heugel said.
It was the third time in six weeks that a west Michigan child was caught driving a vehicle.
I wonder if this rental shop will advertise something like "We're so great, 4-year-olds steal cars just to rent from us!"
I remember when I was 16 and got my driver's permit. I fell far more than mature enough to drive a car, and quite able. Now, when I see a 16-year-old getting behind the wheel, I shudder. These people will be driving alongside me in the wintry weather on the highway. These kids will be approaching a red light or stop sign when my family is passing through. Honestly, I don't trust them. We should send them all to Rhode Island, Hawaii, or some other US island large enough to contain all these kids. Removing the current residents and allow the 16-year-olds to just drive around the island as much as they want in a simulated environment. Then, when they turn 17, they may come back, take their driver's exam, and when they pass, they can start driving in the real world. If they fail, of course, their punishment is to spend the following year back on the island. Oh, and no one gets voted off. Perhaps Lost's Ethan Rom could be there to make sure everything goes according to plan.
Remember: Friends don't let friends drive young.
This entry was posted
on Monday, February 7th, 2005 at 10:23 by Novac and is filed under All, Children.
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