Driving with a dog on your lap may feel good, but it’s quite dangerous.
Photo by Phil Monahan
A recent story in the Huffington Post discusses the common practice of dog owners driving with their best friend on their lap. With a small dog, it seems safe enough, but the the stories of tragedies caused by dog-distracted driving are alarming:
Last year, a 76-year-old North Dakota woman drove her car into a pond when her Shih Tzu jumped into her lap and blocked her view. In November, a 19-year-old Maine driver with a cat in her lap got distracted, swerved into the oncoming lane and ran into a school bus, injuring herself, some students and the bus driver — and killing her cat. And in 2012, police say, a 47-year-old Washington state driver who was killed after crashing into an SUV may have been distracted by the Chihuahua sitting in her lap.
Read the Huffpo story and then check out our interactive map to see what your state’s laws are regarding driving with dogs.