Toddler Seen Sitting on Driver's Lap as Car Makes U-Turn in Kwai Chung Estate
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
A viral 12-second video has drawn widespread condemnation after capturing a female driver in Kwai Chung allegedly allowing a toddler to sit on her lap while operating a vehicle. The incident, filmed on the afternoon of April 21 near Kin Street block in Lei Muk Shue Estate, shows the driver steering with the child perched on her thighs as the car makes a U-turn on On Chong Road. Witnesses report multiple vehicle horns sounding, and a passerby can be heard saying the situation warranted police action. The footage has since circulated online, prompting public outrage and calls for enforcement action.
Key Points
- A 12-second video filmed on April 21 shows an electric private car with dual Mainland-Hong Kong plates making a U-turn on On Chong Road near Kin Street block in Lei Muk Shue Estate, Kwai Chung
- The child, approximately two years old, is seated on the female driver's lap, positioned between her arms as she grips the steering wheel
- A motorcyclist passed by the vehicle during the incident, and multiple car horns can be heard in the background of the footage
- A witness is recorded saying "can call the police" as the driver waves to onlookers before driving away
- Under the Road Traffic (Safety Equipment) (Amendment) Regulation 2024, children under 8 must use child restraint equipment unless they stand at least 1.35 meters tall; violators face a fixed penalty of HK$230, with maximum fines reaching HK$2,000
- A viewer reported the incident to police via the Electronic Police Report Centre after the video circulated online
Why It Matters
Legal experts have warned that the adult driver could potentially face dangerous driving charges, which carry a possible sentence of immediate imprisonment upon conviction, while the child, being under 10, would bear no criminal liability. This incident has reignited public debate over child passenger safety regulations in Hong Kong, with many netizens urging authorities to take strict enforcement action against such dangerous behaviour.
Legal experts have warned that the adult driver could potentially face dangerous driving charges, which carry a possible sentence of immediate imprisonment upon conviction, while the child, being under 10, would bear no criminal liability. This incident has reignited public debate over child passenger safety regulations in Hong Kong, with many netizens urging authorities to take strict enforcement action against such dangerous behaviour.