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There is another side to the notion that GPS tracking can be used for child safety: sometimes a child may not harm themselves as much as they may harm others.

A seven-year-old in Florida took his grandmother’s car keys and hopped into her SUV, driving several miles. Other motorists reported seeing a driver who looked too short to be moving. His joyride ended when he crashed his grandmother’s car. Thankfully, he was not injured.

A GPS tracking unit would have been very helpful in this situation. Rather than relying on other motorists, starting a chase or waiting until the child crashed into someone or something, a GPS tracking device would have let police zero in on his exact location so they could make sure he was stopped safely.

The child was quoted as saying it was fun to do bad things. He hit other people’s cars (both parked and moving), a mailbox and at least one sign. When interviewed by a television news station, he didn’t quite fully acknowledge that he might have killed himself, his fellow passenger (another child) or someone else.

Local police do intend to charge this young boy with grand theft. He is unlikely to face jail time, but police still want to put him into the system and do some follow-up.

A GPS tracking device can help you to locate a naughty child, just as it can help lead parents to an injured child. If you are a parent, nothing is more important to you than knowing that your child is safe and sound. Even if they have done something awful, your first priority is locating them.