AAA poll finds pets may pose road risks

Aug 27, 2010 by Andrew

Safety experts have a new pet peeve related to distracted driving.

In addition to texting or talking on a cell phone while driving, lap dogs and other pets left unrestrained inside moving vehicles pose a major distraction that could be deadly, a study released Wednesday warns.

About two-thirds of dog owners surveyed by the AAA organization said they routinely drive while petting or playing with their dogs, sometimes even giving them food or water while maneuvering through traffic.

It’s frisky behavior for the driver and dangerous for the pets too.

An 80-pound dog unrestrained during a crash at 30 mph exerts 2,400 pounds of force in a vehicle, creating a danger for the dog and anyone in its path, according to Motivation Design LLC, a company that manufactures pet travel products, including restraint systems for pets.

Fifty-five percent of 1,000 dog-owning drivers polled by AAA said they have pet their dog while driving, and 21 percent said they held the dog in their lap. Seven percent said they have given food and water to their dog while driving, and 5 percent said they have played with their dog while behind the steering wheel.

While 80 percent of poll respondents said they take their dogs on a variety of car trips, only 17 percent said they use a pet-restraint system to limit distractions and protect their pet.

“As about 40 percent of Americans own dogs, we see this as an increasingly big problem,” said Beth Mosher, spokeswoman for AAA of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.

Legal Websites