Girl, 3, filmed driving on mum's lap in Adelaide: 'Silly and irresponsible'

A mum has shared video of her three-year-old child behind the wheel of a car, sitting on her lap as they drove in Adelaide.

The vision posted on social media and broadcast by Nine News, shows the small child, who was unrestrained, with her hands on the steering wheel. Her mum is heard laughing and honking the horn as they drive slowly down the street.

At one point, the woman joked about doing "skids" in the vehicle as they drove in the northern suburb of Elizabeth South, it's been reported.

Another person, believed to be a man, appears to be present in the vehicle. It's not known how long they were driving for.

Mum responds to backlash

The mum spoke with Nine News about her actions and said she thought her daughter "might like it".

"I remember when I was a little kid and I really wanted to see what it was like in the driver's seat,' she said.

The video was shared on Facebook by Nine News sparking outrage among viewers.

"Parents should be fined a lot more. So silly and irresponsible," one said.

Others said they "would never" do that with their own children as it "puts their lives in danger."

But some argued "most of us did that when we were kids" and said they "weren't driving fast".

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SA Police issue reminder for parents

South Australia Police said they were aware of the incident and have issued a reminder for parents.

"All children aged 7 years and under must be seated in an approved child restraint," they said in a statement to Yahoo News Australia.

Failure to comply could result in a fine of nearly $500.

"Police implore that all drivers travelling with small children, make sure they are secured in their seats/carriers with seatbelts at all times regardless of distance travelled," they added.

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