Atlanta Injury Lawyers Blog

As a dog lover myself, I always love it when I see motorists driving around with their dog in the car. I don't like it as much when I see that some of these dogs are not restrained, are moving about the cabin, or trying to jump out the window. Not only are these dogs at a serious risk of injury when they are engaged in such behavior, but they are also creating a serious distraction for the driver. A new survey by the American Automobile Association finds that one in three drivers who drives with their pets in the car, is distracted by the animal.

Dogs can cause a number of distractions. It your dog is moving about the cabin, or is restless, or trying to jump out of a moving vehicle, you will find yourself with one hand on the steering wheel, and the other trying to restrain him. If your dog is barking nonstop, you will find it hard to concentrate on the road. Worse, I sometimes see motorists driving with little dogs on their laps. This is dangerously distracting behavior, and if you were a true dog lover, you wouldn't be putting your dog and yourself to such risk.

Here are just a few of the options that you have to restrain your dog and prevent him from becoming a distraction while you're driving.
• If you have a large car, use a crate to restrain your dog.
• Small dogs can be restrained in dog booster seats or dog carriers.
• There are a variety of seat belt models that can restrain your dog safely and comfortably.
• Physical barriers are designed for use in larger vehicles like SUVs. These can be made of metal or mesh, although the metal ones are sturdier.

There are many other devices out there, and a simple look around should make it easy for you to secure your dog while you're driving.

In fact, experts say that the kind of distractions caused by Buddy in the car, are almost the same as the distractions caused by texting while driving. However, while texting while driving has received nationwide attention, not too many people pay attention to the distraction caused by pets.