Grandfather's illegal act on suburban Aussie road prompts warning: 'Recipe for disaster'
The 66-year-old Sydney man was allegedly driving with his unrestrained grandson in an unregistered off-road go-kart at the time.
An Australian grandfather has been hit with a string of charges after police allegedly found him with his young grandson unrestrained on a public street in an off-road go-kart.
The Sydney man, aged 66, was located by police on Wednesday, November 6, in the vehicle on Masterfield Street in Rossmore, in the city's southwest.
The man allegedly tried to flee after spotting police, performing an unlawful u-turn and driving away in the opposite direction, officers said.
When police caught up with him, they allegedly found his grandson — whom he was minding for the day — unrestrained in the vehicle, seated on his lap, wearing no seat belt. "A recipe for disaster," NSW Police Highway Patrol warned, calling the incident an "unnecessary risk on a public road."
Neither wore any form of protective or safety equipment, police said. "It was noted that due to the young age of the child, they should have been seated in an approved child seat," NSW Police Highway Patrol said.
The man was charged with a number of traffic offences including not being registered, making an unlawful u-turn and not wearing a seatbelt. He is due before Picton Local Court.
Major road rule change to combat deadly issue in Australian first
Push for major speed limit change in Aussie state to 'reduce travel times'
Shocking year on Australian roads
Of the 287 fatalities on roads in NSW this year, 194 have taken place on rural and country roads.
Drivers accounted for the largest proportion of fatalities, with significant numbers also among passengers and motorcyclists. There have also been concerning spikes in crashes involving heavy trucks, which saw a marked increase from prior years.
Males account for approximately 74 per cent of road deaths, reflecting a persistent gender disparity in road trauma. Around two-thirds of fatalities occur in regional and remote areas, despite higher traffic volumes in major cities.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
