A video of a man driving with his toddler daughter sitting on his lap is going viral on social media. No, it is not because it looks cute! Social media user and emergency medicine expert Ashwin Rajenesh MD shared the 30-second viral clip to highlight the "poor judgement" of the man in the video. The internet was also enraged about the "irresponsible" act.
In the viral video, the man can also be seen talking to and coddling the toddler.
Highlighting the dangers of such an "adorable" looking video, Ashwin said, in case of a collision, "the infant's skull would be accelerated at 320km/hr 6-8 inches into the man's thoracic cage, killing both instantly".
In the caption of his post on X (formerly Twitter), he added, "Indian parents need a harsh reality check."
In subsequent posts, Ashwin said he does not doubt the dad's love for his daughter and hoped that this "dangerous indulgence of child endangerment was a singular lapse of his better judgement."
He also hoped that the man in video and other parents realise the potential dangers involved in such practices and "do better".
The clip also drew sharp criticism from netizens who pointed at the “irresponsible” act of the man.
“Imagine the guilt the other driver would have. After a moderate crash that normally everyone would walk away from ends up with a fatality,” said a user.
“Also, the irresponsibility towards other drivers in the road, The driver of this car is constantly distracted and is a risk to everyone else on the road,” another added.
In a comment deeming the act in the video as “so irresponsible”, Ashwin responded with: “Poor judgement, risk assessment and hazard awareness. This is what happens when stupidity, combines with ignorance of road safety and lack of enforcement of traffic rules.”
Another user shared a similar incident he had experienced with his neice, who thankfully was not serverly hurt. “A sudden brake can cause serious damage. Once in my teen, my cousin's toddler was sitting on my lap in front seat. Car jumped into a large pothole & I heard a loud bang, which I thought was from the bottom of the car. It was the sound of my niece's head banging on the dash,” he said.
In India, the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, particularly Rule 138(3), mandate that children under the age of 14 must be properly seated and secured with seat belts or in child seats. This is crucial for their safety when the vehicle is moving.
More importantly, under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, it is prohibited for children to sit on a parent's lap while driving. The act requires that all passengers, children included, be appropriately restrained within the vehicle.
