Keep Your Dog in the Backseat and Tethered for Safety's Sake
Here at Service King Southside in San Antonio, TX often transport our dogs in the car to take them for walks or play fetch with them at a local park. I love them being in the vehicle with me, but I won't ever let them sit in my lap or on the front seat. The only way to go is to put the dogs in the back seat where it's proven to be the safest place to be, and always attached to a seat belt.
It just makes common sense. At 30-40 lbs., my dogs are way too big to sit in my lap, and I also know that it’s not safe to drive with a dog in your lap, even though you see plenty of people doing it all the time.
It's definitely not safe and it may be illegal in some states.
In New Jersey, for example, there are animal anti-cruelty laws, that make it illegal to transport any unrestrained animal. If you drive in your car with a dog sitting on your lap in Jersey, you could possibly be pulled over and fined up to as much as $1,000. With distracted driving laws in place that are designed to cut down on cell phone use, it is entirely conceivable that you could be fined for having a dog in your lap while driving.
Hawaii is one of the states in the country that absolutely forbids you from driving with a dog in your lap. One TV station in Hawaii reported that due to a little-known law, you could be fined as much as $97 for driving with a dog in your lap and $57 if it is loose at any point in a moving vehicle.
A pet that distracts you while you're driving might cause you to crash your vehicle and hurt yourself, your pet or someone else. Another reason to keep your mutt tethered in the back seat is so that your airbags won't go off in an accident that could kill the dog if it's sitting in the front seat—even the passenger seat.
Results from a recent survey conducted by AAA stated that when an unrestrained 10 lb. canine in a crash at only 30 mph will exert roughly 300 lbs. of pressure, while an unrestrained 80 lb. canine in a crash at 30 mph will exert approximately 2,400 lbs. of pressure. Imagine how seriously hurt your dog could end up in the unlikely event of hurtling around inside your car during a crash.
So, for the very next time you transport your pooches with you, will you please buckle them up in your backseat? We're definitely not barking up the wrong tree when it comes to safety, so paws for a moment and thank you for considering this blog.
Service King Southside, 736 SW Military Dr, San Antonio, TX 78221
Sources: Parade.com and AAA
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