Police spot toddler steering car on German autobahn – DW – 12/10/2025
www.dw.com
Police officers in western Germany made a shock discovery after they noticed a woman using her phone in the driver's seat. It turned out that someone else was behind the wheel.

Police officers in western Germany made a shock discovery after they noticed a woman using her phone in the driver’s seat. It turned out that someone else was behind the wheel.

A police patrol in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate made a shocking discovery after they came across a driver who appeared to be typing on her mobile phone.

While such behaviour would already be hazardous, what they saw on closer inspection stunned officers. A toddler, less than two years old, was sitting on her lap with both hands on the steering wheel.

According to police, the woman showed no understanding of the risk. She insisted that the child had not been feeling well and that she was simply driving to a fast-food restaurant.

  • dubyakay@lemmy.caEnglish
    222·
    3 days ago

    Sensationalism.

    • The woman had a car-sick two year old on her lap in the driving seat.
    • The woman was still driving the car herself.
    • The toddler was not steering the vehicle even if they had their hands on the steering wheel.
    • The woman was not driving fast. They were just driving to a fast-food restaurant.
    • The woman was not driving to the fast food restaurant because the kid was sick.
    • The woman was texting and driving.

    So there’s really two egregious things here only:

    • child not in their seat
    • texting while driving

    Based on the headline and first paragraph I was imagining a scenario where the toddler was driving the car with auto-pilot on while the woman was on her phone playing Balatro.

    Edit: re-reading the German article, she was indeed driving to a fast food restaurant because the kid didn’t feel well. Understandable though. Döner withdrawal symptoms are life threatening.

    • Lhianna@feddit.orgEnglish
      102·
      3 days ago

      Excuse me? They were driving on the Autobahn, this type of street with speed limits between 60 (when there’s building taking place) and unlimited. Also no article states that she was still steering the vehicle or even still had one hand on the wheel.

      This could have ended in a horrific accident, no sensationalism about it.

      • CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        2·
        3 days ago

        Also no article states that she was still steering the vehicle or even still had one hand on the wheel.

        So? No article states that she wasn’t an alien from outer space steering the car with telekinesis either, but it doesn’t make sense to operate under the assumption that she was.