Boy drives to Grandma's house - alone

by Jennifer Jordan (Subscribe to Jennifer Jordan's posts) Nov 7th 2008 5:02PM

Categories: Kids 8-11, Places To Go, Health & Safety, Weird But True, Childcare

File this one away in the 'scary but true' annals. Recently, a nine-year-old boy drove to his grandma's house unattended (not that attended would be much better!). The boy, of Gifu in Japan, claimed he learned how to drive from watching his father and from playing video games. The child was caught after local police received reports of an unmanned car moving through the streets. Apparently, the lad wasn't tall enough to see above the steering wheel. No reports on whether or not he was weaving like the blue-haired old lady I imagined when I first read this story.

The parents' biggest mistake, other than making it look easy to drive, was leaving the keys in the ignition of their car. Seizing on that opportunity, the boy thought he'd take a visit to grandma's. How sweet is that--a boy who wants to visit his grandmother. Of course, the child is lucky he didn't hurt himself or anyone else. After getting lost and ending up in a parking lot, the boy was 'apprehended' and delivered unscathed back to his parents, who were given a stern warning by police to keep a better handle on the whereabouts of their vehicle.

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Comments (3)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Rhonda 11-07-2008 @ 7:00PM

Imagine opening the door and seeing the cops with your 9 year old. After that shock, imagine being told that he was trying to drive to grandma's. OMG. Thank goodness he wasn't hurt or he didn't hurt someone else.

Child Car Safety 11-08-2008 @ 6:03AM

Yes true, The parents' biggest mistake is leaving the keys in the ignition of their car.

A kid who has such a passion for car driving would like to seize the opportunity. Its the responsibility of the parents to take care of such simple things.

Thanks the boy did'nt hurt himself.

Child Car Safety.
http://www.kidica.com/raising-children/child-safety/child-car-safety.aspx

Baron 11-10-2008 @ 10:21AM

I think my grandpa started teaching me to drive around 10. 9 would have been a little young. This kid was probably doing a better job than half the people I see driving on a daily basis though.

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