Do you allow your pet to ride in the car unsecured? I’ve seen people driving with their small dogs on their laps, and one friend’s dog used to stand on the front seat with his front paws on the dashboard. While I’m sure that’s fun for the dog, it’s definitely not safe.
Keep your pets safe while riding in the car by using a carrier or seat belt harness.
But I will admit, years ago when I had a dog, he was not secured in a carrier or with a seat belt when riding in my car. He was not a small dog, and didn’t try to sit in my lap while I was driving, but he did stand on the front seat and put his head out the window. (Yikes!)
I learned not to allow animals to roam free in the car the hard way, when I picked up an injured stray kitten that I found along the road. I drove her to my veterinarian’s office without a pet carrier, because I didn’t have one in the car. The kitten was in shock, so at first she just stayed on the front seat and didn’t make a sound. About halfway to the vet’s office, she snapped out of it and freaked out. She hissed, growled and jumped off the front seat and right under my brake pedal — while I was driving!
This small kitten created havoc in my car by getting under the brake pedal while I was driving.
About 15 minutes later, I managed to get her out from under the brake pedal and put her in a small cardboard box I happened to have in the car. (Thank goodness I don’t clean my car very often!) I then drove the rest of the way to the vet’s office.
When I arrived at the vet’s office, the receptionist thought all the blood was from the kitten, but actually most of it was mine. Both my hands were shredded. The vet said the kitten had a concussion and her front leg had nerve damage. He said the nerve damage was probably from the kitten trying to hang on when someone threw her from a moving car. No wonder she was so terrified when she came out of shock and found herself in another car!
I named her Ashley. She did get tame after a few weeks, but was always a bit feisty. Ashley passed away a few years ago at the age of 15.
I learned my lesson that day, and now I always have a pet carrier and a pair of thick gloves in the car, just in case. I hope to never drive with an unsecured pet in the car again.
There are other reasons not to let your pet have free reign while riding in the car, as Kim Salerno, president and founder of TripsWithPets.com, states here:
Why it’s a problem
There are no real statistics to say exactly how many crashes and other traffic incidents pets on laps cause each year. However, The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety notes that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chance of a crash, and two seconds is all it would take for a frightened or excited pet to jump up on you, claw you, climb up onto the dashboard, or worse — crawl under the brake pedal.The facts
A 2011 AAA and Kurgo survey sought to ferret out the truth about how and why people drive with their pets, as well as any potential distractions their furry friends might potentially cause. The findings were interesting, to say the least; nearly 60 percent of respondents had driven with their pets in the last month, and 31 percent admitted to being distracted by their pet while driving. Distractions included everything from feeding and petting their pets to taking their photos while driving.Seventeen percent of respondents who drove with their pet — nearly one in five — admitted to either allowing their pet to sit on their lap or holding them while driving. Twenty-three percent admitted to using their hands or arms to secure their pet when they hit the brakes.
The reasons
Respondents cited several reasons for not restraining their pets in the car. The biggest of these reasons was their pet’s temperament; they considered their pet to be calm enough to make restraints unnecessary. Many respondents had simply never considered the idea of restraints. Some said they didn’t use restraints because they only went on short trips. And a few respondents noted that they wanted their dog to be able to put his head out the window.The dangers
Beyond potentially causing an accident, there are other very real dangers to allowing a pet to sit on your lap. If a crash were to occur, a small dog could easily be crushed by a deployed airbag or thrown from the car and injured. In addition, during a crash an unrestrained dog can act as a missile. As AAA National Traffic Safety Programs Manager Jennifer Huebner-Davidson notes, “An unrestrained 10-pound dog in a crash at only 30 mph will exert roughly 300 pounds of pressure. … Imagine the devastation that can cause to your pet and anyone in its path.”The solution
States are taking notice of the potential dangers. Hawaii has made it illegal to carry a pet on one’s lap while driving, and many other states have introduced, considered or enacted legislation meant to stop drivers from traveling unsafely with pets. As a result, in some states, driving with your pet on your lap can earn you a traffic stop or a fine. Even in some states where there is no specific law pertaining to driving with a pet on one’s lap, you can still be cited for doing so under broader distracted driving laws.Increased awareness would likely also make a great difference. AAA notes that drivers who have heard of cases where unrestrained dogs were injured or caused injury to someone during a crash were three times more likely to use a restraint.
While we love our pets and want them to enjoy every experience with us, the safest place for them (and everyone else riding along) is to be properly secured in the back seat. There are a number of options available for properly securing your pet that are quite comfortable and still allow them some freedom of movement. The small investment is well worth it if it means the peace of mind of pet parents, and the safety of their furry kids.
About TripsWithPets.com
TripsWithPets.com is an online resource for pet travel and was named best pet travel site by Consumer Reports. TripsWithPets.com’s mission is to offer resources that ensure pets are welcome, happy, and safe while traveling. The website features a directory of pet-friendly hotels and accommodations across the United States and Canada, as well as airline and car-rental pet policies; pet-friendly restaurants, beaches, and events; a user-friendly route search option; pet travel tips; pet travel supplies; and other pet travel resources.
