Child driving over 180km on Saudi highway causes backlash

Footage showing a child driving at 180kmh on a Saudi highway has emerged online, triggering a backlash from users across social media platforms.

The short video filmed by the child's father who sat on the passenger's seat was posted on YouTube and showed the child grasping onto the steering wheel as close ups of the speedometer show the needle rapidly rise.

Social media users took to Twitter in what seems to be a one-sided rant against the child with particular focus on the father who put him in the driver's seat.

"A young child drives a car at a speed of over 160km on a highway! The one who allowed this must be caught!"

"A young child drives a car at 180km. If an emergency was to happen would he be able to handle it and control the car?"

"For how long will we see such carelessness for human life and disrespect for the traffic system? There must be a stern punishment to deter others."

"Kids are looking for fame at the expense of their safety and the safety of others."

But this is not the first time a child has been seen peering over a steering wheel in the kingdom.

In January, footage emerged showing a child of less than 10 driving on a heavily congested highway in Saudi Arabia.

A seven year old was also caught behind the wheel in September when he was seen driving a full car, understood to be his family, in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia is known for its contradiction in driving laws.

Despite the prevalence of young boys driving around, females (of all ages) in the kingdom are prohibited from driving cars, as per Saudi Arabia's strict intepretation of Islamic law.