Seven-year-old driver crashes van on West Coast, caregiver questioned over ride

Emergency services attending a crash on the West Coast on Tuesday were shocked to find the driver was 7 years old. Photo / NZME, file

Emergency personnel have been left astounded after a van which crashed on the West Coast – narrowly avoiding a tree – was being driven by a 7-year-old.

Questions are now being asked how the primary-school-age child – and their 9-year-old passenger – came to be behind the wheel of a vehicle travelling on a country road.

The young child was driving on a gravel road in northern Buller when they lost control, veering off the road.

Westport Senior Constable Reuben McCormack told the Greymouth Star the child had lost control of the van along a gravel road. They veered off the edge and “very luckily missed a tree” before coming to rest in some bushes.

Incredibly, neither the child nor their 9-year-old passenger were badly hurt in the crash.

Two patients were treated at the scene before being taken to Buller Health Hospital in a “minor condition”, according to St John.

Fire and Emergency southern shift manager Darryl Ball told the Herald that emergency services were called to a “van rollover” just before 1.30pm on Tuesday.

Waimangaroa and Westport fire crews had attended the scene and assisted police and ambulance.

Greymouth Senior Sergeant Mark Kirkwood told the Star the young pair appeared to have taken a family member’s van from the property where they were staying, north of Westport.

Kirkwood told the Star that questions were being asked, given the extraordinary circumstances of such a young child being behind the wheel.

Police were speaking with the children’s caregiver at the time – a grandparent – about the incident.