How to Drive Safely with Pets?

Distracted driving does not always have to mean that a motorist is on the phone or eating at the time of the accident. Other things in a car can take the driver’s focus off the road. One common cause of distracted driving that does not get much attention is when a motorist pays attention to their pet while operating a vehicle. This practice can be as distracting as anything that can take a motorist’s eyes off the road. You must plan to drive safely when you have a pet in the car.

Many drivers love their pets just like they would love children. Just like you would want your child to be safe and restrained, you should have the same level of care for a pet. Not only can your pet be severely injured in an accident, but they can also cause injuries to other occupants of the vehicle.

Pets Can Seriously Injure Passengers

One of the major risks is that your pet can become a projectile, injuring you and other passengers in the car in an accident. If a pet is unrestrained, it may be launched into the air. Even a smaller pet can cause serious injuries when it strikes someone else in the vehicle. Pets can move at a force up to 40 times their weight, even in a crash that occurs when a vehicle is only going 25 miles per hour.

Pets Should Never Be Unrestrained in a Car

Many drivers want their pets to be unrestrained. This is the last thing that a driver should do under any circumstances. The pet may get up and walk around when the car is operating, distracting the driver. Pets should ideally travel in a carrier, strapped into the car with a seatbelt. The pet should not be on the driver’s lap because that may be distracting for a motorist.

Drivers often want their pets to be in the front seat with them so they can feel close. Ideally, pets should be in the backseat so they can avoid distracting a driver. Otherwise, a driver may be tempted to reach over and tend to their pet when operating the car, or the pet may even get up and distract the driver.

A Pet’s Head Should Never Be Out the Window

It is common to see cars on the road with a pet’s head stuck out the window. This is extremely dangerous, both for the pet and the driver. Your pet may be struck by debris, or you may have to break or execute a sudden driving maneuver to keep your pet safe. This is entirely avoidable and unnecessary and can put you and other drivers on the road at risk. No matter how happy it may make your pet, you should avoid this risk.

New Jersey Has Tough Laws About Pets in the Car

New Jersey has recently passed strict laws prohibiting certain driving practices with pets in the car. For example, the new law requires that pets be restrained in the vehicle. Drivers can be fined up to $1,000 when they have an unrestrained pet in their car. There is even a possibility that a motorist can face criminal charges under animal cruelty laws when there is an unrestrained pet. Driving in a car with your pet’s head hanging out the window is not a matter of right. It can be a severe offense.

Contact a Toms River Car Accident Lawyer at Kitrick, McWeeney & Wells, LLC for Help After a Distracted Driving Accident

If you or a loved one has been injured in a distracted driving motor vehicle crash, a Toms River car accident lawyer at Kitrick, McWeeney & Wells, LLC will help. Call 732-920-8383 or complete our online form to schedule a free consultation today. We have offices in Manasquan and Brick, New Jersey, and we help accident victims in Middlesex County, Atlantic County, Mercer County, Monmouth County, and Ocean County.