A New Study Finds That Pets Are A Bigger Distraction To Drivers Than Previously Thought

Turns out, according a new survey by AAA, pets may be as big of a distraction to drivers as cell phones. With all the recent laws banning texting or even outright cell phone use while driving, one has to wonder if new legislation regulating pets in cars is around the corner.

The survey found that 80% of drivers with dogs admitted to bringing them along for rides, but less than 25% of those drivers kept them restrained. As many as eight states, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, California, Massachusetts, Nevada and Washington, have laws on record requiring drivers to secure their pets, but only if the pet is in an open area of the vehicle (i.e., the back of a pickup truck).

The common thread with these laws is that they all exclude the cabin of the vehicle, where the driver and pet share a common space. As it stands now, these laws are designed to protect the pet, not the driver, nor the other drivers (and their passengers) on the road. As proof of this point, here is an excerpt from Connecticut's "Laws on Securing Animals Being Transported in a Vehicle" that states the law's intention as to "prevent [the animal] from being thrown, falling, or jumping from the truck." The maximum fine for this offense is $50.

The reason many pundits feel that new laws are around the corner is the distraction level these unsecured pets provide. The same AAA study found that 31% of dog owners admitted that their dogs are a distraction on the highway. Even more, 59% admitted that their dog had been a distraction at least once previously. And this distraction in not entirely the pet's fault: 50% of drivers said they pet their dogs while driving, 20% drive with their dogs in their lap, 7% say they feed their dog while driving, and 5% cop to playing with their dog while behind the wheel.

It is not only driver distraction that lawmakers fear. The damage an unrestrained pet can cause is generally far more catastrophic then most people realize. AAA reports that even a 10-pound dog can exert 500 pounds of pressure if it is loose in a 50 mph crash. That number is for a small dog, even more troubling is the force a large dog can cause in a wreck. Lloyd P. Albert, AAA Southern New England senior vice president of public and government affairs, claims that, "...an unrestrained 80-pound dog in a crash at only 30 mph will exert 2,400 pounds of pressure. "

An upcoming vote in Alabama could usher in a new era of driving with pet laws, as a town there looks to pass an ordinance banning interaction with pets while driving. A similar bill was vetoed in California back in 2008 notes a local California personal injury attorney.

Regardless of what happens in the legal system regarding pets and driving, Lloyd P. Albert wants you to consider your pet's impact on those around it. "Restraining your pet when driving can not only help protect your pet, but you and other passengers in your vehicle as well," Albert says, "Imagine the devastation that can cause to your pet and to anyone in its path."

Steinberg & Spencer Injury Lawyers have been helping injury victims and their families in Southern California for nearly 30 years. Speak with a California personal injury attorney or a California brain injury attorney to discuss your case today.