Manama: Saudis have expressed shock and outrage after a seven-year-old child was spotted driving a family on a highway near the capital Riyadh.
The video captured by another driver showed a busy highway with several large trucks passing near the child-driven vehicle.
Social media users called for authorities to summon the vehicle owner and punish him severely for his irresponsible behaviour and for putting people’s lives at risk.
“The foolish man sitting next to the child should be caught and put on trial,” Abu Nawas, a blogger, said. “It is obvious that he still needs guidance despite his age. He is totally unaware of the dangers he is causing by allowing a child to drive a family car on a busy highway. Leniency with the car owner will undoubtedly result in dramas and catastrophes,” he warned.
Bu Mohammad said that a family car being driven by a child is a time bomb waiting to explode.
“Parents and family members who allow children to drive are in fact putting several lives at risk,” he said. “I hope the driver will be arrested and shamed by the media for his dangerous attitude and his reckless behaviour,” he said.
Some users averred that they suspected the father was teaching the child to overcome fear and to feel confident driving in the middle of regular traffic.
“If that is the case, he should take him to the vast desert instead of putting people’s lives at risk,” Zooza said.
Other bloggers said that it was terrible to see a child behind the steering wheel on a busy highway, while women were not allowed to drive.
