Drunk man arrested after letting his seven-year-old son drive him home

A man has been charged over allegedly allowing his seven-year-old son to drive in the early hours of the morning because he had too much to drink. A police patrol noticed the child behind the wheel after the car drove along The Esplanade at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, without its headlights on, at about 3am on Friday.

It is alleged his father was drunk in the passenger seat beside him. The boy and his his father were visiting the Gold Coast from New South Wales, police said. It is understood the boy may have driven nearly 10 kilometers from Southport Spit into the heart of Surfers Paradise. The 41-year-old man has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and adult in charge under the influence of liquor.

He is due to face the Southport Magistrates Court on July 3. The boy is in the care of relatives who traveled from New South Wales after the incident. The news has astounded Queensland authorities. ‘‘I shake my head and am shocked by the madness of this,’’ Transport Minister Scott Emerson said.

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RACQ senior road safety adviser Joel Tucker said the matter could have had a devastating outcome. ‘‘Children at that age don’t have the mental or physical capabilities to drive a car safely,’’ Mr Tucker said. He said apart from the obvious physical problems with someone so young driving a car, the child’s inability to understand basic road rules or how a car operates makes it highly dangerous.