Shocking footage shows Perth mum driving with son strapped to roof rack

A Perth woman has been banned from driving after she drove for nearly 20 minutes with her young son hanging on to the roof racks.

Erica Shadforth pleaded guilty to charges of driving dangerously and failing to ensure that a child was properly restrained.

The mother-of-six was charged after footage showed her 4-year-old son, wearing only a nappy, sitting upright on top of the car as it raced through Perth.

Shadforth claims her son had climbed up on to the roof rack while she was inside.

She then returned to the car and drove for 20 minutes at speeds of up to 100km/h, completely unaware her son was holding on to the roof rack.

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The mother explained she assumed her son had jumped into the rear seats where her two other children were sitting.

Witnesses said they saw the young child lose his grip and almost fall off the car.

Other motorists frantically tried to get the mother's attention. After realising the dangerous situation, Shadforth pulled over and put the boy inside the vehicle unrestrained.

The mother's lawyer described the case as unusual and explained she was a solo mother of six who was going through "significant stress" to manage her situation.

Shadforth has now taken steps to ensure it won't happen again, with her lawyer saying "the boy will be put in the rear of the wagon where he does not have access to exit points".

Shadforth was fined $1200 and banned from driving for three months with the magistrate labelling the stunt "mind-boggling".

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission.