Opinion: Do not reward 5-year-old driver for his mischief

This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom. 

SALT LAKE CITY — A 5-year-old boy in Ogden recently grabbed the keys to his parents’ car and became a 5-year-old driver. He took it for a slow ride down I-15. And was pulled over by a highway patrol trooper.

Because Mom and Dad turned down his request for a spanking new Lamborghini, the 5-year-old driver decided to drive to California to buy one. Was the plan to pick up $200,000 in Vegas on the way? (With a base price of $199,805, the Lamborghini Huracan is technically the cheapest Lamborghini on the market.)

For his misbegotten misadventure, the 5-year-old driver got into a lot of trouble, the family says.

The kid was swerving through traffic at 32 mph on a major interstate just outside a big city while all around him cars and big rigs raced by at 60, 70 or 80-plus mph.

Being cute or risking lives?

That’s not being cute. That’s endangering lives — his for sure, maybe yours. All it takes is just one distracted driver not seeing a slow-moving vehicle, and bam, bam, bam — a chain collision of cars and trucks.

But after the misdeed hit the news with a splash, the owner of a Lamborghini Huracan – the next day – stepped in and drove the ear-to-ear grinning 5-year-old driver around the block. 

According to a news report from KSL’s Mike Anderson, the family could not pass up the chance to let the boy live out his dream.

Wrong.

The kid put lives at risk. And got what he wanted.

Lamborghini drivers, why?

If you are lucky enough to own a Lamborghini, your first instinct should not be to take this diminutive delinquent for a spin.

To make this tale even worse, the miniature miscreant is sitting on his sister’s lap in the passenger seat of the Lamborghini. 

Wrong.

A lot of dopes and villains reside inside this story.

I am not here to pile on. I know raising a family is tough. I’m learning that now myself.

Tell it like it is!

I may sound like a grumpy old man who needs to lighten up, but this boy’s behavior is deplorable. And what happens next? Adults who should know better reward the kid. 

Mind-boggling.

Should I get this worked up by a 5-year-old weaving the family car in and out of traffic on an interstate?

Yeah, I think I should.

Live Mic with Lee Lonsberry can be heard weekdays from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app.