CHILD STARTS CAR

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1935, Page 7

CHILD STARTS CAR

INJURY ESCAPED BY TWO WILD CAREER ACROSS ROAD. STARTLING HAWERA INCIDENT ACCIDENT ON SOUTH ROAD. Started by a child not three years of age a motor-car careered across South Road near the Hawera Main school, and after travelling less than 50 yards crashed into a stationary motor vehicle. The child, the son of Mrs. G. E. Thompson, Tirimoana, and a younger child, who was in the car, were unhurt. The stationary car was severely buckled, Mrs. Thompson’s vehicle being practically undamaged. Parking her car opposite the school Mrs. Thompson left two children in it while she took another member of the family to the dental clinic at the school. The child after a wait of nearly an hour apparently became impatient and,- climbing on to the driver’s seat, sounded the horn vigorously. What happened next is not known. It is thought that after playing in the front of the car for some time the child unwittingly started the engine. Dashing across the road, the car crashed into the front of a stationary motor-car, the property of Miss Paterson, a teacher at the school. The two children were unhurt apart from shock. _ . Mrs. Thompson experienced trouble in starting her car, but it suffered little noticeable damage. Miss Paterson’s car, which was slewed round by the impact, was badly buckled in front and the front wheels were thrown out of alignment.

Hr .1 it not been for the presence of Miss Paterson’s car it is thought that the car might have continued its journey uncontrolled with far more serious results.