8-Year-Old Learns to Drive Online, Drives Younger Sister to Fast Food Joint

No parent is going to say “Love ko ‘to” to this piece of news.

In Ohio, an 8-year-old boy craving for a McDonald’s snack learned how to drive by watching YouTube videos. He then proceeded to drive himself and his 4-year-old sister to a nearby McDonald’s outlet. Clearly, this boy was hellbent on not letting anything stand between him and a cheeseburger. Not even the fact that he isn’t allowed to take a driving exam until he reaches 15 and a half years old.

According to USA Today, police office Jacob Koehler of the East Palestine, Ohio police department responded to calls from concerned citizens reporting a small boy behind the wheel of a minivan driving around town on the evening of April 9, sometime around 8 p.m. After spotting the vehicle, Koehler followed it to the local McDonald’s. Koehler then confronted the driver and confirmed that he was only 8 years old, way below the state’s legal driving age.

A fast learner

When Koehler questioned the kid, the boy explained that he only wanted a cheeseburger, but was afraid to ask his parents because they were already asleep. Instead of waking them, he decided to search YouTube for a driving instruction video and study it. After learning what he needed, he grabbed his dad’s car keys, took some money from his piggy bank, scooped his 4-year-old sister into the family minivan, and drove out.

Koehler reported that the boy drove for at least a mile and a half. For the entire time he was driving, the kid managed to obey all traffic laws, stop for red lights, and avoid hitting anything. When he reached the local branch of the popular fast food chain, he entered the drive-thru section like an experienced driver. He then ordered a cheeseburger and fries for himself, and some chicken nuggets for his sister.

“I think there is a good teaching point here. With the way technology is any more kids will learn how to do anything and everything,” Koehler said in an interview. “This kid learned how to drive on YouTube. He probably looked it up for five minutes and then said it was time to go.”

Not a prank

Upon seeing the vehicle driver, the McDonald’s staff thought that they were witnessing an elaborate prank, and that the parents were simply hiding in the back of the minivan, letting their kids make the purchase. Unfortunately, they weren’t.

The good news is that this story has a happy ending. The kids got the late-night snack they craved for, and no one got hurt. A family friend dining in the restaurant at the same time the kids pulled in spotted the children and phoned their grandparents, who later picked them up. The local police decided not to press charges against the children, letting them their meal while waiting for their grandparents.

What do you think about this story? What do you think the parents could have done to prevent the incident? Let us know below.