Cops pull over 9-year-old driver

A traffic police officer pulls over a 9-year-old girl driving her father's car in Yingkou, Liaoning province on February 25. Her father was seated in the passenger's seat. Photo: nen.com.cn

A man was hit with a hefty fine for letting his 9-year-old daughter drive on an open road in Yingkou, Liaoning province on February 25.

Police pulled over the SUV after spotting it slowly drifting along Qinghua Street. Officers were surprised to find a little girl driving, with her father riding shotgun and her mother in the back seat.

The father, surnamed Tang, told officers the family was on their way to a hospital and he could not drive due to "health problems."

"My daughter has practiced driving at home a few times. She's smart and a quick learner," said Tang.

According to relevant traffic laws, vehicle owners face up to a 2,000 yuan ($326) fine for letting a person without a license drive their car. The minimum age to apply for a driving license in China is 18.