Click It Or Ticket May Now Apply to 'Man's Best Friend'

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June 27th, 2012 at 2:55 pm

Safety on the roads has become a hot topic and with distracted driving becoming a norm, the focus has just begun to shift onto restraining pets while in the vehicle. States are being to take notice and legal action.

It is not uncommon to see a pet riding in a vehicle hanging out the window, sitting on their owner's lap, or even lounging on the dashboard, but Col. Frank Rizzo, superintendent of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (NJSPCA) argues that “you wouldn't put your child in the car unrestrained, so you shouldn't put your pet in the car unrestrained, either,” (States unleash laws on restraining pets while driving, Jim Walsh, Phil Dunn, and Alesha Williams Boyd, USA Today,

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-06-04/vehicle-pet-restraint-laws/55384736/1).

Rizzo also points out that besides a pet being restrained for their own safety, they should be for the others in the vehicle as animals act like “flying missiles in an impact.” Any object loose in a vehicle can cause potential damage in an accident, so your furry friend could become a projectile object if not restrained.

The AAA, formerly known as the American Automobile Association, reported from their survey conducted in 2010 that 20% of those who took the survey confessed to driving with their dog on their lap, and another 31% were distracted by their dog while driving, (States unleash laws on restraining pets while driving, Jim Walsh, Phil Dunn, and Alesha Williams Boyd, USA Today). The concern here being that a pet not restrained has the potential to cause an accident by distracting the driver from the road.

States have begun to look at creating legislation concerning pet restraint, but some states only have laws in regards to animals being transported in the exterior of the vehicle i.e. in the bed of a pickup truck, but no laws concerning the interior. Currently the states listed below have laws concerning pet restraint:

New Jersey: the NJSPCA has the right to stop a driver if they see unsuitable transportation of any animal. The price range for such a ticket is from $250-$1,000. The driver can also face a disorderly person's offence under animal cruelty laws.

Hawaii: has a law specifically prohibits driving with a pet on one's lap.

Arizona, Connecticut and Maine: can charge drivers for distracted driving if driving with a pet on the lap.

Rhode Island: a proposed legislation has been written by Democratic state Rep. Peter Palumbo to classify driving with a dog on the lap as a distracted-driving violation.

There are a number of pet restraints currently on the market for purchase at pet supply stores as well as online. The three main types of restraints are:

Dog harnesses: these go around the body and clip right into the already existing seat belt.

Dog safety seats

Travel crates or carriers

So many proclaim “our pet is part of the family,” so why wouldn't you want to protect it as such? In the end it's all about safety for all passengers in the vehicle, including the cuddly, four-legged ones.

Posted in Uncategorized, Legal, News by Jason Waechter, Esq.

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