Viral Uproar: Video Of 8-Year-Old Russian Girl Driving Car At 100K/Hr Hits YouTube

Police in Russia's northwestern city of Saint Petersburg have launched an investigation after a video of an eight-year-old girl driving 100 kilometres per hour (60mph) through snowy scenery went viral on the internet.

The clip of Karina Mikulchik driving was videoed by her mother Yelena, who was sitting in the back seat.

The footage has been viewed nearly 500,000 times on YouTube.

The little girl seems unperturbed handling the Audi to the sounds of techno music from the stereo.

A man sitting in the passenger seat, apparently her father, tells her: "Come on! Accelerate! At least to 100! Don't be afraid."

The camera zooms in to show the speed creeping up to 100 kilometres.

"If Nastya saw me drive a car, she'd pass out right away!" the girl says at one point, apparently referring to a friend.

She doesn't appear to be wearing a seatbelt.

After the mother posted the footage on her social networking page and YouTube, it was shown on television and caused a scandal.