4 Year-Old Drives Moms Car

FULLERTON, Calif. -- Fullerton police say a 4-year-old boy had a wild ride but escaped serious injury after he drove off alone in his mom's car during rush hour, eventually rolling the vehicle over and crashing.

Police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich says the boy's mother parked the car about 4 p.m. Thursday to a use a nearby phone. The boy got out of his car seat and climbed into the driver's seat, put the car in gear and drove onto a busy city street.

Goodrich says the boy sideswiped a vehicle, then veered into oncoming traffic. At that point the vehicle rolled over once but landed back on its tires and kept going, eventually crashing into some trees.

Goodrich tells the Orange County Register the boy was taken to a hospital with what were believed to be minor injuries.

The Los Angeles Times reports that in all, the boy traveled about a third of a mile.

Comments

[StrawHat]

09:29 AM on 10/16/2011

Put it in park, engage the emergency brake, take the keys with you, NEVER leave a child in a car unattended.

These are my ingrained habits so I can't imagine how this happened.

Thank goodness no one was seriously hurt.

[layman]

09:00 AM on 10/16/2011

Drove one third of a mile without touching the gas pedal ??? Was it a downhill slope ???

[lacasarosada]

08:05 AM on 10/15/2011

why is there a photo of a child sitting in the drivers seat of a British Car? Notice the steering wheel is on passenger side. Huff Post's art dept needs to pay closer attention to details when buying stock photos

[Phill Matthews]

10:43 PM on 10/14/2011

"Police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich says the boy's mother parked the car about 4 p.m. Thursday to a use a nearby phone."

Well if we didn't have to drive hands-free in California the mother could have had her conversation on her cell phone while driving and this situation wouldn't have happened.

[Enlightened Bro]

11:41 PM on 10/14/2011

This is just poor logic. If the boy's mother had access to a cell phone at all, she could have very easily pulled the car over, remained in the driver's seat, made her phone call, all while maintaining control of her child. This near-tragedy has much more to do with poor parenting skills than anything else, technological ignorance included.

[StrawHat]

09:30 AM on 10/16/2011

No kidding. 4 pm in Fullerton and she's leaving a child in a car?!?

Cars can heat up in that situation VERY quickly.

[Richbruin]

09:28 PM on 10/14/2011

I wanna go fast.....he may be the next Ricky Bobby.

[MelO86]

05:02 PM on 10/14/2011

I can't be mad at the mom. At least she pulled over to use the phone.

[Bendra]

04:21 PM on 10/14/2011

Have mercy! I wouldn't have thought it possible.

[Stacey Jones]

04:07 PM on 10/14/2011

Reminds me of that 10 year old boy who got the keys to his grandma's SUV and drive around because he wanted to do "hoodrat things".

[sierratangotango]

02:38 PM on 10/14/2011

one fortunate kid............with all the s**t going on this is an actual piece of good news. thank God he wasn't hurt. will the momm face any charges I wonder? I know my 4yr loves to get out of her seat and sit in mine when I'm unloading her and her brother or bags etc. from the car...............but I don't leave them near any main roads so just glad this kid is ok.

[Kim0330]

01:14 PM on 10/14/2011

Wow, if I were the mother I would have been freaking out. I'm glad he's ok and wasn't seriously injured.

[chesscub]

01:05 PM on 10/14/2011

Did he "ghost ride the whip" too?

[plansmaker]

12:48 PM on 10/14/2011

Defiantly a NASCAR material...Maybe even a future Dale Earnhardt or Richard Petty,LOL

[sierratangotango]

02:39 PM on 10/14/2011

just wanna say i LOVE your icon. Madea is my S(hero). LOL.

[plansmaker]

03:06 PM on 10/14/2011

Madea is wonderful so is Papa Joe. Tyler Perry is a magical filmmaker, who's messages in his movies bring people together from all races and creed...:)