Dogs are our best friends so of course they will be driving with us everywhere we go! You also would never want to hurt or injure your best friend either, and unfortunately drivers are not realizing the dangers of having your dog as co-pilot in a car. CarRentals conducted a survey on dog parents’ driving habits with their pets in order to take precautionary actions to keeping you and your dog safe while out on the road!
Distracted Driving With Pets
Of course your doggo is irresistible, they’re the cutest thing in the world! 52% of drivers admit to reaching back to pet their dog while driving, leading to having their eyes off the road –– this puts the owner and dog in a higher chance of crashing. Other distracted driving habits with a dog in the car include holding the dog in place while braking, preventing the dog from coming up to the front seat, reaching in the backseat to interact with the dog, allowing the dog to sit in their lap, and giving treats to the dog while driving. By engaging in these behaviors, you put everyone in the car in danger. Bringing awareness to these distracted driving habits lessens the problem.
The Use of Pet Restraints
47% of pet owners understand the dangers of driving with an unrestrained dog, but they continue to do it anyways. The ones who do take action are the ones who have been involved or heard of a car crash due to a dog being unrestrained. The use of pet restraints is three times more likely when a person has heard of an injury to a dog or person in a car crash where the pet was unrestrained. Let’s change this by bringing awareness to the importance of pet restraints.
We hope this piece advises you to rethink your driving habits with your pet in the car. Check out the rest of the data study on this piece here.
