Unrestrained Pets are a Threat to Safe Driving

While law makers are trying to eliminate distractions like texting and using cell phones while driving, many motorists are now tagging along another risk – their dogs. According to experts, an unrestrained dog in a moving vehicle can be lethal. Dogs curled up on a lap, resting their paws on the steering wheel or merely hanging out of the window can pose quite a lot of risk.

Several thousand car accidents that occur each year are believed to have been caused by unrestrained pets. Katherine Miller, the director of applied science and research for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says, “An unrestrained pet can be hugely distracting – if he is seeking your attention, putting his face right in front of yours, starts chewing up the upholstery or is vomiting because he is carsick”.

This issue is now attracting attention in some of the statehouses. Hawaii, for instance, absolutely forbids drivers from driving with a pet on their lap. Similarly, the Oregon lawmakers are also considering fining drivers who have their pets behind the wheel.

Good pet owners should use a harness or a carrier for securing their pets in the middle of the back seat, adds Miller. This keeps dogs from hurting themselves and at the same time stops them from bouncing around and hurting other people.