6 year old becomes hero after taking the wheel.

[MA-Caver]

Neb. boy, 6, takes wheel after dad passes out

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090523/ap_on_re_us/us_boy_driver
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. – A 6-year-old boy grabbed the wheel of his family's pickup truck when his father passed out from low blood sugar, keeping the vehicle from crashing until an officer could bring it to a halt, police said.
Tustin Mains was in the back seat with his 3-year-old brother Sunday when his father, Phillip Mains, slumped over at the wheel, the boy told police. The family had been driving home from a restaurant.
"I remember getting up to about the mall — that was about 6:45," Mains told The North Platte Telegraph. "The next thing I remember was waking up to the officer and paramedics, and it was 8:15."
Tustin leapt into his father's lap so he could steer and see out the windshield. Mains' foot had slipped off the accelerator, but even at idle the Chevrolet Avalanche was going an estimated 10-15 mph, police said.
The kindergartner steered the truck several blocks, even turning around when he entered a neighborhood he didn't recognize, until he was spotted by police.
North Platte officer Roger Freeze ran up to the moving pickup, reached through an open window and rammed the gearshift into park.
Police Chief Martin Gutschenritter praised his officer and young Tustin.

Way to go kid! Great job officer!
One of the things I guess they have to be thankful for is that Dad neglected to have the boy strapped in securely in a car-seat at his age so that at least the boy could jump into his lap and steer until help arrived.
Good thinking/reaction on the kid's part as the whole incident could've turned out worse with a bad accident.

 

[ShelleyK]

Way to go kid! Great job officer!
One of the things I guess they have to be thankful for is that Dad neglected to have the boy strapped in securely in a car-seat at his age so that at least the boy could jump into his lap and steer until help arrived.

Not necessarily true, my daughter has been able to strap herself in her car seat since she was about 5 years old.

 

[terryl965]

Nice heart warming story

 

[Rich Parsons]

Way to go kid! Great job officer!
One of the things I guess they have to be thankful for is that Dad neglected to have the boy strapped in securely in a car-seat at his age so that at least the boy could jump into his lap and steer until help arrived.
Good thinking/reaction on the kid's part as the whole incident could've turned out worse with a bad accident.

Good story.

I have a few problems with the report though.
At idle for 10 to 15 miles per hour. This is a little high.

Also the parking mechanism is usually only rated to 7 mph not twice that.

Also for someone to run up from behind and over take a vehicle doing 15 mph is pretty good.

If the car went down a hill I could see the 15 mph.


But in any case the kid reacted and did something which included making sure the vehicle did not hit something or someone. The kid did GOOD!

 

[Tensei85]

Wow! Great story, I agree with Shelley little kids are pretty smart. I've worked in the school district and seen little kids 3-4 years old that could get out of a securely fastened safety seat faster than I can hook them up. (Wonder who's in control??)

But the kid was awesome!