Police in Jerusalem caught a 38-year-old resident of the city yesterday driving with an 8-month-old baby on his lap in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina. Officers said the infant was sitting beneath the steering wheel, without a legally required restraint system, in a position that put the child in extreme danger.
The driver was also not wearing a seat belt. Police said the discovery came during a covert enforcement operation by detectives from the Jerusalem station, who spotted the vehicle in the neighborhood and were shocked to find the baby on the driver’s legs. The baby’s placement under the wheel meant even a sudden brake or collision could have been fatal.
Police issued the driver a summons to appear in court over the violations. In a statement, Cmdr. Eli Matlov, head of the Jerusalem District’s traffic enforcement unit, called it “reckless behavior that places the life of a defenseless infant in real danger.” He said an 8-month-old must sit in accordance with the law in a seat with proper restraint devices.
Matlov added that in the event of sudden braking or a road accident, “the consequences could be fatal,” and said police would continue cracking down on drivers who disregard the safety of their children and other road users.
