Boy, 4, gets behind wheel to get to store

IN A MINUTE: Boy, 4, gets behind wheel to get to store

Over in Sand Lake Michigan, about 15 miles north of Grand Rapids, there is a Sgt. Jay Osga who was amazed when he pulled over a four year old boy for driving a car late at night. It seems the boy wanted to go to the store while everyone else was asleep and decided to borrow his mom's car for the trip.

After learning the store was closed, and without being able to reach the accelerator or brake, the boy turned the car around and headed back to the apartment complex. He was swerving a little and had his headlights off, which caught the officer's attention, but he didn't hit anything until he got into the parking lot where he struck a parked car and then backed into the police cruiser.

Osga is quoted as saying "he knew how to go from forward to reverse. The mother said she taught him how to drive by letting him sit on her lap and steer." But no charges will be filed and the police chief says "He's 4 years old. His mom didn't even know he was up... I don't think he realizes what he did."

I can't help but think that no one seems to reallize what has been done.

WHAT? The mom lets her four year old sit in her lap and learn to drive the car? (not to mention the whole "getting out of the house in the middle of the night and running down to the store without anyone knowing about it" thing.)

Does this sound like a good thing to do and is it legal for one so young to sit on mom's lap while she is driving? Does this sound like something that might teach a four year old boy that driving is ok at his age?

I really hope these cops were like those on the show COPS and gave her a nice long, loud speech about properly restraining your child when driving and keeping the keys out of his reach if you taught him how to drive the stupid car.

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