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Driving With Your Dog Safety Tips You Need To Know

Animal lovers often bring their pets along when they go places in the car. While it is perfectly legal to bring pets in cars, it can also be very dangerous for the pet, the pet owner and other drivers on the roads. This is because pets can pose a distraction to drivers that could lead to a motor vehicle accident.

According to AAA, there are several things all pet chauffeurs should know before taking their dog or cat on the next car ride.

First, AAA says pets should be kept in the backseat in a carrier or harness attached to the car’s seat belt. This keeps the pet secure in case an accident occurs, and it also prevents the pet from causing an accident by climbing into the driver’s lap. If this were to occur, you could be held liable in a personal injury lawsuit.

Here are a few other travel tips from AAA for pet owners:

Don’t allow your pet to ride in the back of a pickup truck. Not only is it illegal in some states, it poses a threat to the pet and others on the road because the pet could easily jump or be thrown out of the truck bed.

Don’t allow your pet to travel in a trailer or camper, which can also pose a risk to the pet. The AAA advises leaving your pet at home if it can’t be in the vehicle with you properly secured.

Don’t let your dog stick its head out of the window. While this is a very enjoyable activity for many pets, it can be very dangerous to the dog. The dog’s delicate ears and eyes are at risk of injury from flying debris, and it is more likely the dog would be injured or killed if an accident occurred.

Don’t leave your animal in a parked car, even with the windows open. The AAA says even on nice days, the car can warm up to a dangerous 100 degrees after just 10 minutes parked. This could result in heatstroke or maybe even death of the pet. Cold days are also a threat for pets.

Check out AAA’s Pet Spot web site for more information on transporting pets safely.

Source: AAA Pet Spot, “Tips for Safe Car Travel With Fido and Fluffy,” last accessed Oct. 22, 2012