Netizens have condemned a driver for allowing a young child to sit on their lap and steer a vehicle through Tuen Mun on Sunday afternoon.
A video circulating online shows a boy, estimated to be three years old, holding the steering wheel of a black private car with dual Hong Kong-mainland plates as it traveled along Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Road toward Yau Oi Estate.
The footage, lasting 1 minute and 42 seconds, was reportedly captured at 1:50pm in front of the Tuen Mun Law Courts. The child appeared to be unbuckled while sitting on the adult driver’s lap, with at least one other passenger visible in the back seat.
While the adult occasionally intervened to control the steering and brakes, the child was seen reaching for objects on the dashboard while the vehicle was stopped at traffic lights. Social media users slammed the act as "ridiculous" and "infantile," with many calling for immediate police intervention.
Under Section 42 of the Road Transport Ordinance, it is an offense to allow an unlicensed person to drive a motor vehicle. First-time offenders face a maximum fine of HK$5,000 and three months' imprisonment.
A similar high-profile case in August 2011 involved a couple who allowed their 18-month-old son to "drive" for two minutes in Sham Shui Po. They were subsequently sentenced to 160 hours of community service and a six-month driving ban after pleading guilty to charges related to the incident.
